
Class _JaX 
Book 



Copyright N°. 



COPYRIGHT DEPOSIT; 



HOLIDAY FACTS 



AND 



FANCIES 

Full yet Simple Explanations of the 
AMERICAN HOLIDAYS 



CLARA J. DENTON 



AUTHOR OF 



" Little People's Dialogues," " The Brownie's Quest," 
"Topsy on the Top Floor," "The Program Book." 



EDUCATIONAL PUBLISHING COMPANY 

BOSTON 

New York Chicago San Francisco 






Copyright, 1910 

BY 

EDUCATIONAL PUBLISHING COMPANY 



'CCI.A278758 



HOLIDAYS EXPLAINED 



PAGE 



New Year's Day. {January First) .... 5 
Lincoln Day. {February Twelfth) . . . . 13 
St. Valentine's Day. {February Fourteenth) . .21 
Washington's Birthday. {February Twenty-second) . 26 
St. Patrick's Day. {March Seventeenth) . . .38 

All Fool's Day. {April First) 43 

Easter 48 

Arbor Day 53 

May Day. {May First) 63 

Bird Day 66 

Memorial Day. {May Thirtieth) . . . . .74 

Flower Day . . 77 

Flag Day. {June Fourteenth) 87 

Independence Day. {July Fourth) .... 93 
Hallowe'en. {October Thirty-first) . . . .100 

Thanksgiving Day 104 

Forefather's Day. {December Twenty-second) . .111 
Christmas Day. {December Twenty-fifth) . . .123 



HOLIDAY FACTS AND FANCIES 

January First 

NEW YEAR'S DAY 

In a far-away land, in a long-ago time, 
lived some people who were called the Romans. 

They were great fighters, and were never 
so happy as when at war with their neighbors. 
Then, when they won in the fight, as they 
generally did, because they had so many well- 
trained soldiers, they took to themselves the 
land and everything else belonging to the people 
who were beaten. 

You know, even in these wonderful days of 
the twentieth century, we are only beginning 
to think that there may be a better way to settle 
our troubles with the world than to shed human 
blood. So it is not strange that they knew no 
better in those far-off times. 

Although these Romans were so warlike they 
had very lively imaginations, and, as they knew 
nothing of the one God who rules the universe, 
they fancied a god or a goddess in almost every- 

5 



6 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

thing: the wind, the water, the trees, the flowers 
and so on. 

Each god or goddess was given a name, 
and all of these names with the stories about them 
fill a good sized book. 

It is about one of these gods called Janus 
that we wish to tell you now. You will see, I 
am sure, that our month January is named for 
this god. 

All the statues of Janus were made with two 
faces, one looking forward and one backward, 
because he represented the beginning of the 
year and also its end. Then he had a key in his 
left hand and a scepter in his right hand. The 
scepter showed his power, the key, that he 
opened and closed everything. 

Since they believed all this about Janus, it 
was certainly very fitting to call the first month 
in the year after him, and also to ;make the 
first day of that month, which we call "New 
Year's Day," a time of great feasting and 
rejoicing. 

On this day they gave gifts to their friends, 
just as we sometimes do now. They were 
also very careful what they did on this day, be- 
lieving they would do the same things through- 
out the year. 

They built a temple to Janus and in the 




'RING OUT THE OLD, RING IN THE NEW" 



New Year's Day 7 

temple they held a great celebration on New 
Year's Day. There was another strange cus- 
tom connected with this temple; it had immense 
gates, and when Rome was at war with another 
nation these gates stood open, but as soon as 
peace was declared the gates were closed with 
great rejoicings. 

During the first seven hundred years of the 
life of the Roman nation these gates were closed 
but three times, which certainly shows that they 
loved war better than peace. 

There is a story told that at one time the 
people wanted war very much, but their King 
wanted peace, and so he steadfastly refused 
to open the gates. Their great men met with 
the king and talked and argued the matter over 
and over, but the king would not give up. While 
they were thus wasting time and words, sud- 
denly the gates were burst open ; then, of course, 
the king gave up, for they all agreed that it was 
the goddess Juno, the greatest of all the god- 
desses, who wanted war, and so had to take the 
thing into her own hands. What do you think 
about it ? 

There is something for us to learn in the 
story of Janus; it shows us that on New Year's 
Day we ought to stop and think over the mis- 
takes of the past year and then promise our- 



8 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

selves not to make the same ones in the next 
year to which we are looking forward. 

Another lesson that we may gain from this 
story is that it is well to keep the doors of our 
hearts and minds closed against evil words and 
thoughts, for, if these are kept out we will be 
saved much sorrow and trouble. So, you see, 
in that way, closed doors will mean to us peace 
and quiet, just as it did to the ancient Romans. 
But you must not think that the ancient Romans 
were the only people who celebrated New Year's 
Day. Every country in the world has its own 
way of rejoicing over the beginning of a new 
year. 

The Chinese nation, which is even older 
than the Roman nation, makes much of the 
New Year. These people do not, however, fol- 
low our date exactly. Their new year begins 
several days later than ours, and their celebra- 
tion reaches out over many days. At this time 
their houses are decorated with lanterns and gay 
colors, all work is laid aside, and the people ap- 
pear on the streets dressed in their best suits. 
If anyone has no best suit he stays at home and 
hides, so that no one can see him until the holi- 
days are over. People meeting on the street 
say, "Kung-hi" — I humbly wish you joy — or 
"Sui-hi" — May joy be yours — quite like our 



New Year's Day g 

"Happy New Year." The men call on each other, 
but the women take no part in either making or 
receiving calls. The men receive calls from 
those below them in society and make calls 
on those above them. If that were the custom 
here, any man might call on the mayor of the 
town, but the poor mayor could not make any 
calls as he is the highest city officer, unless some 
of the state or county officers happened to live 
where he could reach them. 

The Japanese new year customs are very 
like those of the Chinese, except that they have 
adopted our calendar, and so have their new 
year holiday begin on January first. 

In Scotland the children of poor people go 
about on New Year's Eve begging bread from 
door to door, and this is one of the rhymes 
which they sing: 

Hogamananay trollolay 

Give us your white bread and none of your gray. 

The children are wrapped about with white 
sheets which they make into a sort of pouch 
in front, in which they carry whatever is given 
to them. 

Ringing bells on New Year's Eve is an old 
English custom, which is now carried out in 
many parts of our own country. In some parts 



io Holiday Facts and Fancies 

of England they used to ring muffled bells just 
before twelve o'clock and then at twelve o'clock 
they would take off the wrappings and ring the 
bells loudly. The muffled bells are rung to 
show grief for the dying year, and the un- 
muffled ones show joy over the coming of the 
new year so full of promise. Lord Alfred Tenny- 
son has written some beautiful verses about 
this custom of ringing the bells. I will quote 
a few lines. They are taken from a long poem, 
called "In Memoriam." 

Ring out, wild bells to the wild sky, 
The flying cloud, the frosty light, 
The year is dying in the night, 

Ring out, wild bells, and let him die. 

Ring out the old, ring in the new, 
Ring, happy bells, across the snow, 
The year is going, let him go; 

Ring out the false, ring in the true. 

In Germany, and also in Russia, much is 
made of New Year's Eve. The streets are 
decorated and brilliantly lighted, and the people 
gather there to make merry. Friends meet, 
and all are as gay as people can be when they 
set out to forget their cares. 

In Russia, but not in Germany, the people 
wind up their merry-making near midnight by 



New Year's Day n 

going to the church and "watching" for the 
coming of the new year. 

In France and Spain New Year's Day is a 
time for making gifts, and in Paris it is one of 
the gayest days of the year. 

The Persians give each other eggs on New 
Year's Day, for just as no one can tell what sort 
of a chick will come forth from the shell, so no 
one can tell what events the new year will 
bring. 

The Druids, who were heathen priests living 
many centuries ago, made presents to people of 
branches of mistletoe on the first day of the year. 
It was to them a sacred plant; therefore, to give 
a piece of it on this day was to bring blessings 
to the receiver on every day throughout the 
year. 

Our Pilgrim forefathers, about whom you 
hear so much at Thanksgiving time, did not 
keep this day in any way. They thought it was 
wicked to do so because the month with which 
it begins was named after the heathen god 
Janus. For the same reason, the Quakers, or 
Friends, refuse to call this month by its name, 
January, but instead, speak of it as " First 
month." 

When the Dutch came to settle New York, 
they brought with them the custom of making 



12 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

New Year's calls, but their manner of calling 
was very different from the Chinese custom. 
The men, it is true, did all the calling, but, not 
on each other. I am sure they would have 
thought that a very stupid way of spending the 
day. On the contrary, they called on all their 
women friends, both young and old, so in this 
way, every woman was sure to meet all her men 
acquaintances in the town, at least once a year. 
It was a dear old custom, full of cheer and good 
will, and many people were sorry to see it pass 
away. 

Here are some lines by the great English 
writer, Thomas Carlyle, which seem appropriate 
to the new year, as well as to the new day. They 
are called 

TO-DAY 

So here hath been dawning another new day, 
Think, wilt thou let it slip useless away? 
Out of eternity this new day is born, 
Into eternity at night 'twill return. 
Behold it aforetime, no eye ever did, 
So soon it forever from all eyes is hid. 
Here hath been dawning another new day, 
Think wilt thou let it slip useless away? 




F. p. 13 



ABRAHAM LINCOLN 



February Twelfth 

LINCOLN DAY 

Here is a date which every American boy and 
girl should remember, February twelfth, 1809; 
because on this day was born the greatest Ameri- 
can that ever lived — Abraham Lincoln! 

You know it is the proud boast of this country 
that the poorest boys and girls in it have as good 
a chance as the richest ones to make of them- 
selves noble men and women. There have been 
other Americans as great as Abraham Lincoln, 
but they did not spring from surroundings so 
poor and humble. There have been other men 
whose childhood was passed in poverty. But 
they did not become so great as Abraham Lin- 
coln. This is the reason for calling him our 
greatest American, because he so fully showed 
forth this great American principle, that all 
boys and girls have an equal chance in life to 
bring out the good qualities that are within 
them. 

Abraham Lincoln's good qualities were 

13 



14 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

these: A bright, quick mind, honesty, industry, 
thirst for knowledge, and a warm, unselfish 
heart. 

His honesty was so great that when he was 
a poor struggling lawyer, he would not take a 
man's case unless he knew that the man was in 
the right. His energy and industry were so 
great that when his clothes grew shabby, he 
split fence rails to pay for some new ones. His 
thirst for knowledge was so great that he once 
cut four cords of wood, just to pay for a piece 
of a book. This book was the Life of George 
Washington, and young Lincoln would lie flat 
on the floor at night, and read by the light of 
the fire. His parents were too poor to afford even 
the light of a tallow candle. His heart was so 
kind and tender towards everything, that one 
day when he was riding along a country road, 
he stopped the horse and climbed out of the 
carriage — what for, do you suppose ? Just to 
turn over a poor beetle that was lying on its back 
and could not get on its feet again. 

"There," he said, when he had climbed back 
into the carriage again, "I have given that bug 
a fair show with all the other bugs on earth." 

You may have heard that he was born in a 
log cabin in LaRue County, Kentucky, but 
when he was seven years old, his father moved 



Lincoln Day 15 

the family to Indiana. Two years afterward 
his mother died, and they were so poor that 
there was no money to buy a coffin for her. 
His father had to make one out of a log that was 
left after building the cabin. Poor little "Abe, " 
as he was called, helped make it by holding the 
boards while his father bored the holes for the 
pegs which were to hold the coffin together. 
They lived far away from the stores where nails 
were sold, and they had no time to go after them 
or money with which to buy them. 

In less than a year after the mother's death 
the father married Sallie Bush Johnston, a 
widow with three children, and at once better 
times began for the Lincoln children. The 
story of all that this second mother became to 
Abraham Lincoln ought to silence forever the 
unreasonable prejudice against step-mothers. 

In 1832, Lincoln was made captain of a 
company in a short war called the Black Hawk 
War. In 1836, he moved to Springfield, Illinois, 
and began the practice of law. In 1847, ne 
was elected to Congress. 

In those days the negroes were held as slaves 
in the Southern states, and Lincoln had very 
early shown that he thought slavery was wrong. 

Once when he was making a speech he said, 
"This country cannot stand half slave and half 



1 6 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

free; it must be either all slave or all free. This 
speech brought him many bitter enemies, and 
one day a man who was one of his friends said 
to him that he was sorry that he had used those 
words, and that he wished they could be wiped 
out because they would cost him many votes. 

Mr. Lincoln replied: 

"If my whole life except one act had to be 
wiped out, that sentence is the one thing that 
I would let stand." 

Here he showed his honesty, for he had put 
his true belief into that speech, and he could not 
pretend to anything which he did not believe. 
In i860, he was elected president. In 1863, he 
gave to the world the great paper called by two 
hard words, "The Emancipation Proclama- 
tion." This was the beginning of new times for 
this country, for it gave freedom to all the 
slaves, so it is no wonder that the name of Abra- 
ham Lincoln is beloved by every colored person 
in the world. 

He carried the country through four years 
of Civil War, and kept the states together, 
when many misguided men were seeking to 
break up the Union. 

He was the second time elected president, and 
was inaugurated March 4, 1861. Every one 
was now looking forward to a peaceful time, 



Lincoln Day 17 

when he could, as he expressed it, "bind up the 
nation's wounds," and enjoy four years of 
quiet, after his four years of war and trouble. 

But this was not to be, for on April 14, he 
was shot by a wicked man and he died the fol- 
lowing day. 

Everybody mourned for him, people went 
about the streets weeping. Many private houses 
were draped with crepe, while in his own town 
of Springfield everything seemed to stand still. 
As one man said in speaking of his death, "I 
don't believe the sun shone again in Springfield 
for weeks after he was laid away." 

The stories told about Lincoln are so many 
that it is almost impossible to choose between 
them. Indeed, a large book has been made 
of them which I trust you may read some day. 
I will however, give you a few to think over. 

An old farmer who died in 1901 tells that 
when Lincoln was working for him as a " hired 
man," he came across him one day sitting bare- 
foot on top of the wood pile, with a big book 
open before him. 

"What are you reading ?" asked the farmer, 
for books were not plentiful in that part of the 
world. 

"I'm not reading," was the answer. "I'm 
studying." 



1 8 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

"Studying what?" 

"Law, sir," was the reply, and the old 
farmer was too astonished to say anything 
more. 

Lincoln, himself, tells of finding some law 
books among a lot of rubbish which he had 
bought cheap, and that he read and studied 
them until he had mastered them all. 

Here is a pretty little story which I am sure 
you will enjoy. 

After Mr. Lincoln had become a prosperous 
lawyer, he was one day going to his home in 
Springfield, when he saw a little girl standing 
at her gate crying bitterly. Although he did 
not know her he stopped at once and asked her, 
"What is the matter?" 

She told him that she was all ready to go on 
a little trip with a friend, but that the hack man 
had forgotten to come after her trunk and she 
knew that she should miss the train. He asked 
to see the trunk, and when she had taken him 
where it was, he put it on his shoulder and 
started off down the street as fast as his long 
legs could carry him, while she ran with all 
her might to keep up. They were just in time 
for the train, he kissed her good-bye, and told 
her to "have a good time." 

Do you wonder that everybody loved him ? 



Lincoln Day 19 

When he was nominated for president the 
first time a Governor and some other well- 
known men called upon him, as is the custom, 
to tell him of his nomination, he said to them, 
" I suppose it is the proper thing to give you 
gentlemen something to drink." 

He called in the maid, spoke to her in a low 
voice, and presently she returned to the room 
carrying a waiter, several glasses, and a large 
pitcher. Then Mr. Lincoln arose and said 
gravely: 

"Gentlemen, we will pledge our mutual 
health in the most healthy beverage that God 
has given to man — it is the only beverage I 
have ever used or allowed my family to use, and 
I cannot conscientiously depart from it on the 
present occasion. It is pure 'Adam's ale' 
from the spring." 

He then poured out a glass of water for each 
of his guests, and taking up his own glass pledged 
them his highest respects. 

Mr. Lincoln was wise enough not to muddle 
his brains with either whiskey or tobacco. 

Mrs. Carrie Mathews Hollister, widow of 
O. J. Hollister and sister of Vice-President Col- 
fax, was a girl at Washington during the whole 
of Lincoln's administration. She met the presi- 
dent almost daily as a close and intimate family 



20 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

friend. In a recent letter to the present writer, 
with no thought of publication at the time, she 
made use of the following language (the italics 
are hers) in speaking of Mr. Lincoln. 

"All this rudeness and buffoonery I read so 
much about I never saw. I always felt as if in the 
presence of an angel, he seemed so different from 
other men, and so good" 



LINCOLN* 

The rectitude and patience of the rocks, 
The gladness of the wind that shakes the corn, 
The courage of the bird that dares the sea, 
The justice of the rain that laves all leaves, 
The pity of the snow that hides all scars, 
The loving kindness of the wayside well; 
The tolerance and equity of light. 

— Edwin Markham 



* Copyright, 1901, by Edwin Markham. Reprinted by permission 
of the publisher, Doubleday, Page & Company. 



February Fourteenth 

ST. VALENTINE'S DAY 

This is the day, February 14, when we mean 
to be kind to everybody. We want to give, not 
only loving thoughts, but words as well, to our 
dearest friends, and we love to go to the stores 
and buy pretty little tokens to send to them. 

It is true that we see in the windows hideous 
pictures, unlike any people that have ever been 
seen on earth, and we hear them called "Valen- 
tines," but they have no right to the name. 

The day was set apart for merry making and 
kind feeling, and not to give pain and annoyance. 
If people want to make these hideous pictures, 
and other people are foolish and unkind enough 
to buy and send them out, I suppose it is not 
possible to prevent them from doing so, but 
they have no right to call the ugly things, "Val- 
entines," for that is an insult to the good and 
holy saint after whom the day was named. 

It is true that the good Valentine did not set 
going this custom of sending valentines, but I 



22 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

am sure he would not object to having messages 
of love and kindness named after him. Let 
us keep the holy man in our minds, and so re- 
fuse to call by his name the frightful objects 
displayed in some of the windows at this time. 

Very little is known of St. Valentine except 
that he was a bishop and lived in Rome less 
than three hundred years after the dear Lord 
Jesus was on earth. 

In those early days, when Christianity had 
not been in the world very long, the Romans 
used to put to death the people who owned that 
they were Christians. These people were called 
martyrs, and St. Valentine was one of these 
early martyrs. 

In ancient days the Romans held a great 
feast every February, called ' ' Lupercalia," which 
was in honor of a god whose name was Luper- 
cus. When Rome was first founded it was sur- 
rounded by an immense wilderness in which 
were great hordes of wolves. So the Romans 
thought they must have a god to watch over and 
protect the shepherds with their flocks, so they 
called this god, Lupercus, from the Latin word, 
lupus, a wolf. As they kept special feast days 
for other gods, they must have one for Luper- 
cus since so much depended on his protection. 
When the country about the city became cleared 



St. Valentine's Day 23 

up, and there was no longer danger from the 
wolves they still kept up the feast day in honor 
of Lupercus. 

One of the amusements on this great day was 
the placing of young women's names in a box 
to be drawn out by the young men. Each 
young man accepted the girl whose name he 
drew, as his lady love. 

The Christian priests, wishing the people to 
forget about their heathen gods, yet not liking 
to do away with all their sports, kept the feast, 
but called it St. Valentine's Day, because the 
good bishop's birthday occurred about that 
time, and they also wished to remind the people 
of his holy life. Not satisfied with this, they 
went even further, and changed the nature of 
the festival by putting the names of saints and 
martyrs into the boxes to be drawn out. The 
name that each one drew was called his or her 
"valentine," and the holy life of that person 
was to be imitated throughout the year. 

But as time went on the custom gradually 
changed again, and the names put into the 
boxes were those of living people instead of 
dead saints, and these became the " valentines. " 
From this custom grew quite naturally the prac- 
tice of sending out messages of kind remem- 
brance. 



24 Holiday Facts and Fancies ] 

It was at one time the custom in England 
for people to call out, "Good-morning, 'tis 
St. Valentine's Day/' and the one who succeeded 
in saying this first expected a present from the 
one to whom it was said, so this made things 
pretty lively on St. Valentine's Day. 

Nowadays people have learned to make 
these little tokens both cheap and pretty, and 
when you see one that can be bought for a few 
cents you would hardly think that it went 
through five or six hands before it became the 
dainty gift which you buy for your friend. 

There is an old saying that birds choose 
their mates on St. Valentine's Day, and, at 
one time, it was the custom for young people 
to go out before daylight on that morning 
and try to catch with a net one owl and two 
sparrows. If they succeeded in doing this, they 
not only thought it a sign that they would be 
happy all the year, but they also expected a 
present from everyone who knew them. 

The fancy about birds mating on this day 
inspired Charles Kingsley, one of the English 
poets, to write the pretty little poem given on 
the next page. 



St. Valentine's Day 25 

VALENTINE 

O, I wish I were a tiny brown bird from out the south, 
Settled among the alder-holt * and twittering by the 
stream ; 
I would put my tiny tail down, and put up my tiny mouth, 

And sing my tiny life away in one melodious dream. 
I would sing about the blossoms, and the sunshine and the 
sky, 
And the tiny wife I mean to have in such a cosy nest ; 
And if someone came and shot me dead, why then I could 
but die, 
With my tiny life and tiny song just ended at their best. 

*Alder woodland 



February Twenty-second 

WASHINGTON'S BIRTHDAY 

A beautiful, sweet scented rose growing in 
a well kept garden is very different from a little 
weed trying to live beside the dusty road. Quite 
as different, also, were the early lives of our two 
greatest Americans, George Washington and 
Abraham Lincoln. 

George Washington was born in 1732 in 
the colony of Virginia. There were no states 
then, you must remember, but just a few strug- 
gling colonies belonging to the great Kingdom 
of England across the ocean. In this beauti- 
ful colony of Virginia, were the stately homes 
of the planters, many of whom were descended 
from proud old English families. 

It was among this class of people that George 
Washington's life began. His relatives and 
friends were all people of refinement and edu- 
cation, while some of them were wealthy. 

He was born near the Potomac River, but 

when he was a very little child, the house was 

26 



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F. p. 2- 



GEORGK WASHINGTON 



Washington's Birthday 27 

burned and his father, instead of rebuilding 
on the old site, moved to a place which he 
owned on the Rappahannock River in Stafford 
County. In this neighborhood was a small, 
private school taught by a man named Hobby, 
who was also sexton of the Parish, and here 
the small boy George began his school life. 

His father died when he was nine years old, 
but he was carefully brought up by his mother 
and an older brother. 

Mary Washington, it is said, was a woman 
born to command, and on her husband's death 
she took charge of her own estate, managing it as 
well as a man could have done, riding about the 
large plantation in an open chaise. She was 
very orderly, perfectly truthful, and these traits, 
together with her governing powers, her son 
George inherited. 

Lawrence, the elder brother of George, was a 
man of excellent judgment, upright character, 
military training and withal held a fine social 
position. 

He married a relative of the wealthy Lord 
Fairfax when George was but eleven years old, 
and as he felt that he must take a father's 
place to this younger brother, it came about 
that George spent most of the years of his 
later boyhood and earlier manhood at his 



28 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

brother's beautiful home on the Potomac River. 
This place Lawrence named Mount Vernon, 
after the admiral under whom he had served 
in the English navy. The home of Law- 
rence was hardly ever without guests who 
were in all respects the choicest people of the 
colony. George was therefore brought in con- 
tact with the best social life of his time. It is 
said that he was given much attention by his 
brother's guests and was often flattered in a 
way that would have turned the head of a lad 
of less common sense. 

There are two stories told about Washing- 
ton's boyhood which all children love to hear. 
One is that he cut down his father's favorite 
cherry tree with his little hatchet and then told 
the truth about it when questioned. 

It seems as if a bright boy, even if only a 
little one, ought to have known better than to 
cut down a fine young cherry tree, doesn't it ? 
As they, no doubt, had other cherry trees I don't 
suppose they went without cherry pie after that, 
but I think it would have done Master George 
good if he had been made to go without cherry 
pie for a while. 

Some people who tell the story of Washing- 
ton's life leave out this cherry tree tale, but 
others say that it was told by one of his old 
teachers and that it is doubtless true. 



Washington's Birthday 29 

Another story which no one denies is this: 
when George was a good sized boy, and some 
years after his father's death, he- and his cousins 
went into the pasture to look at some blooded 
colts of which his mother was very proud. There 
was one young sorrel, which no one had been 
able to master, and George said that he would 
ride it if his cousins would help him catch it. 

This was done, and George was soon on the 
colt's back. The animal was enraged, and 
would obey neither the pull on the rein, nor the 
word of the rider, but reared, plunged, backed, 
and did everything that an angry untamed colt 
could do to throw its rider off its back. But 
George was large for his age and enormously 
strong, so he kept his temper and also kept his 
seat, hanging all the while to the bridle with a 
firm grip. Then the raging animal gave a 
mad leap into the air, hoping no doubt, to dis- 
lodge his rider in that way. The next moment 
it came to the ground dead; in its rage it had 
burst a blood vessel. 

George, as you may imagine, was terribly 
frightened at this end to the battle, for he well 
knew how highly the colt was prized. When 
they returned to the house, one of his mother's 
first questions, was about the noble sorrel colt, 
expecting, no doubt, to hear their words of 



30 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

enthusiastic admiration. George answered at 
once, after the formal manner of those times: 

"Madam, the sorrel colt is dead, I killed 
him." 

I daresay there were many other times when 
he told the truth against himself, but these two 
stories are enough to show that he loved truth 
more than anything else, and that he would 
not depart from it to save himself blame and 
possible punishment. 

Many books have been written about George 
Washington, which I hope you will read when 
you are older. In one called, "The Home of 
Washington," by B. J. Lossing, there is a letter 
which he wrote when he was only nine years 
old; it is indeed a very nice letter and it closes 
with what he calls "a little piece of poetry about 
the picture book you gave me, but I mustn't 
tell you who wrote the poetry." 

"G. W.'s compliments to R. H. L. 
And he likes his book full well. 
Henceforth will count him as his friend, 
And hopes many happy days he will spend." 

It is said that the lines were written by a gentle- 
man who visited the Washington family very 
often. I do not wonder that he did not want 
to be known as the author of that "little piece 
of poetry," do you ? 



Washington's Birthday 31 

By the time George was sixteen years old, he 
was six feet tall, with long, strong arms, and large, 
powerful hands. Astonishing stories are told of 
the way that he could throw, run and wrestle. 

There was naturally much talk among all 
the relatives as to the proper business or pro- 
fession to which he should be trained. He 
seemed to lean toward the navy, which is but 
natural, since his brother Lawrence had been 
a naval officer. After much talk among them- 
selves, they decided to let him enter the navy, 
and his trunk was even packed and sent aboard 
an English man-of-war which was lying in the 
Potomac. But just at this point a letter came 
to his mother from her brother in England, beg- 
ging her not to let George enter the English 
navy, and giving her so many excellent reasons 
for his advice, that the trunk was immediately 
brought ashore again, and they began to think 
of other things for George to do. 

How different might have been the fate of 
this country, if George Washington had gone 
thus early into the service of George II. Had 
he done so it is not likely that he would have 
taken up arms against the successor, George III, 
and without his firm command the result of the 
American Revolution would, no doubt, have 
been very different. 



32 Holiday Facts and Fanceis 

Soon after this change in his plans he went 
to work as a surveyor at good wages, and, as 
this sort of work pleased him greatly, we may 
say that his life had now begun in earnest. 
He enjoyed the woods life, the daily battle with 
bush and brier, in making new paths through 
the unbroken wilderness. 

His biographers say of him that at this time 
his best qualities were truthfulness, courage, 
self-reliance, hopefulness, carefulness, strong 
common sense, knowledge of human nature, 
and faith in God. 

His greatest fault was a hot, quick temper. 
Several times this fault had brought serious 
trouble upon him, and he early felt that he 
could not become the useful man which he 
hoped to be, unless he brought his temper under 
control. He set himself with so much firmness 
to conquer this weakness, that in after years 
it seldom showed itself. Now and then, a sharp 
flashing of his eyes, a sudden flushing of the 
strong face, showed that the old enemy was only 
chained, not dead. But it was a great deal, 
was it not ? to keep it in chains. 

While in the midst of his work as a success- 
ful surveyor, George was made adjutant of his 
military district, with the rank and pay of Major, 
which you know is the office next above a cap- 



Washington's Birthday 33 

tain. As he was then but nineteen years of 
age, you will understand that this was a great 
honor for so young a man. 

A little later than this, his brother Lawrence 
lost his health and was ordered to the Barba- 
does, with the hope that the milder climate 
would cure him. George immediately resigned 
his position and went with his brother to care 
for him in his weakened condition. In 1752 
this much loved brother died, and George re- 
turned home. 

By the death of Lawrence, George became 
the owner of Mount Vernon, in fact he was for 
those times, a very rich man, for his brother 
had left him about two hundred thousand 
dollars. He did not, however, as many another 
would have done, settle down to the idle 
enjoyment of his wealth. 

Two years after the death of Lawrence, he 
joined General Braddock in fighting against the 
French and Indians. He helped to capture 
Fort DuQuesne for the English, thus fighting 
for the same country against which he was 
soon to fight for the young colonies. But when 
the battle was over he thought he was done with 
fighting, and soon afterward, in 1759, he mar- 
ried a beautiful widow, Mrs. Custis, and settled 
down to a peaceful life at Mount Vernon. He 



34 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

was made a member of the Virginia house of 
Burgesses, and doubtless looked forward to serv- 
ing his native state, peacefully for many years. 

Trouble, however, soon arose with the mother 
country, and Washington as a member of the 
Virginia Assembly was, of course, drawn into 
the discussion on all the burning questions of 
the day. From what we have already seen of 
his character we know that he could not do 
otherwise than take a decided stand for his 
own country, the young colonies. Thus, when 
it was thought best to form a general Congress 
of men chosen from all the Colonies, Washing- 
ton was naturally sent from his own district. 

He was not a great orator like many other 
men who came to that Congress, but Patrick 
Henry said of him, when Congress was over, 
"If you speak of solid information and sound 
judgment, Colonel Washington was unquestion- 
ably the greatest man on that floor." 

There were other meetings of this body of 
men, which is called the "Continental Congress," 
and on June 15, 1775, two days before the great 
battle of Bunker Hill, George Washington was, 
by this Congress, made Commander-in-chief 
of the Continental army. When he accepted 
this honor he said, "I will keep an exact ac- 
count of my expenses. These, I doubt not, 



Washington's Birthday 35 

Congress will discharge, and that is all that I 
desire." 

He wrote a tender letter to his wife, closing 
with the words, " I shall no doubt return to you 
safely in the fall." 

But soon afterward came the Declaration 
of Independence, and the long war of the Revo- 
lution followed, so that Washington saw his 
beautiful home again but once in seven years, 
and then only for a few days. 

Some day you must read the story of this 
sad war and then you will learn more about 
the great and wonderful George Washington. 

The war closed in 1783 and Washington 
then resigned his commission and prepared to 
return to his beloved country home on the 
banks of the Potomac River. He made a 
touching speech, bidding his army an affection- 
ate farewell. The soldiers, however, were un- 
willing to lose him, they wanted to do something 
grand and fine for him, so they put their heads 
together and persuaded one of their generals, 
Lewis Nichola, to write him to become king of 
the new country. This he might easily have 
done, since the soldiers were willing to stand by 
him. 

Washington was both grieved and indig- 
nant over this letter and refused the offer in- 



36 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

stantly. He desired no greater happiness than 
to retire to Mount Vernon to spend the remain- 
der of his days. He arrived thereon Christ- 
mas Day, 1783. What a delightful Christ- 
mas merry making there must have been at the 
dear home after his long absence. He was 
soon very happy and busy, he enlarged his house, 
beautified his grounds, attended to the culti- 
vation of his large farm, and looked after the 
welfare of his many slaves. 

But he was not allowed to remain long in 
this delightful state. People began to find out 
that the Colonies were too loosely held together, 
and that they needed something more than 
Congress to govern them, so when the Con- 
gress met in 1787 they adopted that great 
system of laws and rules known as the Consti- 
tution of the United States. They thus re- 
quired a President, and near the close of 1789 
they chose George Washington as the President 
of the United States. 

Thus was he again forced to leave his de- 
lightful riverside home, but you have seen 
that he never refused to help his country when 
it needed him. Do you think it is strange that 
it is said of him, "First in war, first in peace, 
and first in the hearts of his countrymen"? 

This is what Abraham Lincoln said of him: 



Washington's Birthday 37 

"Washington is the mightiest name on earth, 
long since the mightiest in the cause of civil 
liberty — still mightier in moral reformation. 
On that name a eulogy is expected, it cannot be. 
To add brightness to the sun or glory to the 
name of Washington is alike impossible. Let 
none attempt it. In solemn awe pronounce the 
name, and in its naked, deathless splendor 
leave it shining on." 



March Seventeenth 
ST. PATRICK'S DAY 

This is the day which all Irishmen honor, 
because it is kept in memory of the good Bishop, 
Patrick, who did so much for Ireland. The 
stories about him are, however, so great a mix- 
ture of fact and fancy that it is hard to tell where 
each begins and ends. Even the date of his 
birth is in doubt, but it was somewhere between 
the years 373 and 386. As to the day of the 
month, this was long in dispute, some claiming 
March 8, and some March 9. There is an 
amusing old poem on this subject which says 
that the claimants for these two days finally 
added eight and nine together, and that is 
why we now keep the 17th of March as the 
birthday of this great and good man. 

As all writers agree that there was a good 
bishop sent to preach to the Irish, so they all 
agree that he was not an Irishman and that his 
name was not Patrick. He was born either in 

France or England, and when a mere lad was 

38 



St. Patrick's Day 39 

sold as a slave to a man named Milcho, who 
carried him to Ireland. 

He became a very good man, and when 
the Pope of Rome wanted someone to preach 
the gospel to the Irish he selected this man and 
gave him the name of Patricius; this was easily 
shortened into Patrick. 

Here is one of the queer stories told about 
this good man. In the first place he was said 
to have driven all the snakes and toads out of 
Ireland. In order to do this he wandered about 
the country taking with him a drummer who 
marched before St. Patrick beating the drum 
with all his might. So the power of the good 
saint united with the great noise of the drum, 
frightened the poor snakes and toads so terribly 
that they ran as fast as ever they could and 
jumped into the sea. But, by and by, right in 
the midst of their great success, the drum burst, 
so nothing more could be done until the drum 
was put together again. 

While waiting for this to be done, St. Patrick 
met an immense serpent that did not seem to 
fear him in the least, and instead of running 
away as the others had done, it just kept lying 
right across the good saint's path. So St. 
Patrick found a big box with a good cover upon 
it and brought it near the serpent. Then with 



4Q Holiday Facts and Fancies 

many soft words, for although he was not an 
Irishman, he seems to have learned the Irish 
ways of speech, he tried to coax the serpent into 
the box. But the wily thing said that the box 
was too small to hold him. St. Patrick declared 
that it was quite large enough. 

They argued about it at great length, until 
the serpent angrily declared that he would prove 
the truth of what he said. This was, of course, 
what St. Patrick wanted, so he held his breath 
while the great serpent crawled slowly and 
carefully into the box. He was no sooner safely 
inside than St. Patrick clapped down the lid 
of the box and shoved it into the sea. 

"Did they mend the drum after that?" 
Well, I never heard that they did; that will do 
for a fairy story. The good bishop, however, 
did help the Irish people to become better, and 
so, of course, happier. They were heathens, 
with all sorts of strange wild customs, when he 
came among them, and many of these were done 
away with under his teaching. 

It is said that the Irish people had paid 
little or no attention to the shamrock which 
grows so plentifully in Ireland, until one day 
the good saint was trying to explain to them 
the Trinity. He spoke of the Father, Son, and 
Holy Spirit, three in one, and then stooping 



St. Patrick's Day 41 

down he plucked the delicate, little three-leaved 
shamrock, and used it as an illustration of the 
Trinity. From that time it became the emblem 
of Ireland, and is now beloved by every Irish- 
man "even unto the third and fourth genera- 
tion." 

The following verses on the shamrock were 
written by Thomas Moore who is often called 
the "Irish poet": 

O! THE SHAMROCK 

Through Erin's Isle 

To sport awhile 
As Love and Valor wandered, 

With Wit, the sprite, 

Whose quiver bright 
A thousand arrows squandered. 

Where'er they pass, 

A triple grass 
Shoots up with dew drops streaming, 

As softly green 

As emeralds seen 
Through purest crystal gleaming. 
O ! the Shamrock, the green, immortal Shamrock, 

Chosen leaf 

Of bard and chief, 

Old Erin's native Shamrock! 

Says Valor, "See 
They spring for me, 
These leafy gems of morning!" 



42 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

Says Love, "No, no, 

For me they grow, 
My fragrant path adorning." 

But Wit perceives 

The triple leaves 
And cries, "O do not sever!" 

A type that blends 

Three god-like friends 
Love, Valor, Wit forever!" 
O! the Shamrock, the green immortal Shamrock! 

Chosen leaf 

Of bard and chief, 
Old Erin's native Shamrock. 

So firmly fond 

May last the bond 
They wove that morn together, 

And ne'er may fall 

One drop of gall 
On Wit's celestial feather. 

May Love, as twine 

His flowers divine 
Of thorny falsehood weed 'em; 

May Valor ne'er 

His standard rear 
Against the cause of Freedom! 
O ! the Shamrock, the green, Immortal Shamrock, 

Chosen leaf 

Of bard and chief, 
Old Erin's native Shamrock! 



April First 
ALL FOOL'S DAY 

Some writers say that this name comes from 
the word aperie, "I open/' because it is the 
time when buds begin to open. Other writers 
claim that because the Romans gave the names 
of gods and goddesses to many of the other 
months, therefore April comes from A phrilis, 
or Aphrodite, which were the Greek names for 
Venus, and this goddess is supposed to have 
especial charge of the month of April. 

The Anglo-Saxons, who were more prac- 
tical, called it the Oster-month, because it is the 
time of cold east winds. Oster means East. 

I am sure we all love this month of the early 
spring, in spite of its strangely mixed weather, 
because in this month there are always some 
bright, warm days which bring the early birds 
and flowers. 

Shakespeare speaks of the "uncertain glory 
of an April day," and sometimes I think one 
reason why we love April so well is because she 

43 



44 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

gives us so many surprises. Often opening 
in tears and gloom, but before night gladdening 
us with a burst of sunshine and blue sky. Here 
are some of the old sayings about April: 

A cold April the barn will fill. 
April showers bring May flowers. 

When April blows its horn, 
It's good for both hay and corn. 

The reason for the latter saying, no doubt, 
lies in the fact that when the wind blows well 
throughout the month it dries out the winter 
moisture from the ground, making it fit for 
plough and seed. There is usually a grain of 
truth in these old sayings that have been re- 
peated for so long a time. 

Children wait impatiently for the coming 
of April First. They think it rare fun to shout 
"April Fool!" at the unsuspicious child or 
person whom they have tricked. There may 
be fun in these tricks when they harm no one. 
But remember, a trick ceases to be funny when 
it brings sorrow, trouble or pain to another. 

When you are planning to play some prank 
on a friend or companion, stop a moment and 
ask yourself how it would seem to have the same 
trick pla)^ed upon you. The "golden rule," 
you perceive, applies here as well as everywhere 
else. 



All Fool's Day 45 

The custom of playing tricks on April First 
is so old that no one knows certainly just when 
or why it began. Some writers even say that 
it began when Noah made the mistake of send- 
ing the dove out too soon over the waters, and 
that the custom of sending people on fruitless 
errands was begun in memory of Noah's de- 
liverance from the deluge. 

The Romans held a feast called the "Feast 
of Fools" which was much like the "All Fool's" 
of recent times, although it was held at an en- 
tirely different time of the year. 

The Hindoos in Asia have a festival which 
lasts for several days, closing on the 31st of 
March, and at this time they play all sorts of 
pranks on people, calling the ones who are 
tricked, "Huli fools." 

The French, it is said, followed this custom 
before the English did, and as the English way 
of keeping their "All Fool's Day" is much like 
the Hindoo way of making "Huli fools," it 
looks as if the French learned the custom from 
the Hindoos, and then the English copied it 
from the French. 

In France they call the one who is tricked 
an "April Fish," that is a young fish easily 
caught. In Scotland they call him an "April 
gawk," gawk meaning a simpleton. 



46 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

In "Poor Robin's Almanac/' a book printed 
in England more than one hundred years ago, 
there was given this bit of verse : 

It is a thing to be disputed, 
Which is the greatest fool reputed, 
The man who innocently went 
Or he who him designedly sent. 

There is not much poetry in this little rhyme, 
but we must admit it holds much truth. 

Here is a story in which the practice of 
April fooling was helpful instead of hurtful: 

A certain Duke of Lorraine, whose name was 
Francis, was, together with his wife, held as a 
prisoner, at a place called Nantes in France. 
They decided to make an attempt to escape. 
They dressed themselves as poor country people; 
he carried a brick-layer's hod on his shoulder, 
she carried a basket of rubbish on her arm. 
At an early hour in the morning they passed 
through the gates of the city. But there hap- 
pened to pass by a woman who saw their faces 
and knew them, and she ran at once to one of 
the sentinels and told him that the man and 
woman who had just passed out the gate were 
Duke Francis and his wife. Then the sentinel 
chanced to remember that it was the morning 
of April First, so he threw his head on one side, 



All Fool's Day 47 

winked his eye knowingly, and shouted "April 
Fool" at the woman. 

The story was considered so good that it 
was told from one to another, until it reached 
the Governor's ears, his suspicions were aroused 
and he set about finding out as to the truth of 
the matter. It was then too late, however, 
for the prisoners were beyond his reach. 

How fine it would be if all "April Fooling" 
turned out as well as that. Set your wits to 
work this year and see if you cannot think of 
some kind tricks to play on people. Here is 
a simple little verse which you may enjoy: 

AN APRIL THANKSGIVING 

The Robins are singing, 

The Bluebirds are winging, 

Then why should we sorrow or sigh ? 

The bright sun is shining, 

Cold winds are declining, 

Overhead is God's beautiful sky. 

O! moments enchanting, 

We would be descanting 

All the day on April's dear song, 

Not a thought then be wasting 

On the days quickly hasting, 

But give thanks that they linger so long. 

— Clara J. Denton 



EASTER SUNDAY 

This is what we may call a "movable holi- 
day/' because it does not come on the same 
date every year. The reason for this is, that 
it is governed by the moon, and we all know 
how changeable the moon is. First we have 
the beautiful thin crescent, which we call the 
"new moon/' then in about seven days more, 
we see the first quarter, and in another seven 
days we have the splendid round moon which 
is called the "full moon/' and also the "gibbous 
moon." 

The date of Easter Sunday is fixed by the 
first full moon that comes on, or next after, the 
twenty-first of March. This is called the "pas- 
chal moon," and the next Sunday after this 
full moon is Easter Sunday. 

Easter Sunday with the early Christians took 
the place of the Jewish Passover, because we 
know by the New Testament that our Lord was 
crucified and rose again during the Jewish 
passover, and for this reason this day is in some 

countries called the "Paschal Feast." 

48 



Easter 49 

The heathen people had a goddess called 
Eostre, whose festival was kept in the Spring of 
the year, as she was the goddess of the light or 
morning, or Spring. 

It was quite natural therefore for the early 
Christians to keep the familiar name when they 
changed entirely the character of the feast. The 
day was also called the "joy Sunday," and the 
habit of having new clothes for this day comes 
from an old superstition that unless one wore 
something new on "joy Sunday" or Easter Day, 
bad luck would follow throughout the year. 

A favorite superstition among the Ger- 
mans is that if the children of the household are 
truthful, kind and obedient, a white hare will 
come into the home at night and hide colored 
eggs in odd corners of the house. The use of 
eggs at this time is to show forth that our Lord 
came again to life out of the silence and dark- 
ness of the grave, just as the chicken comes to 
life and breaks its way out through the shell. 
The reason that they tell that the hare brings 
the eggs into the house is because the hare is 
the ancient symbol, or figure of the moon, and 
Easter Day is governed by the moon, as you 
have been told before. Hares, unlike rabbits, 
are born with their eyes open, and the moon 
is the "open-eyed watcher of the night." As 



50 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

there are no hares in this country, when this 
story is told to children here, they speak of 
rabbits instead of hares, as the two little animals 
are much alike. You will often see white 
rabbits on picture cards, or find candy white 
rabbits among Easter gifts. There are many 
people who do not understand the reason for 
their usage, but now, you will know that it 
comes from a very old myth. 

A queer custom which was at one time prac- 
ticed in some parts of England, was called the 
"Lifting." On Easter Monday, the men went 
about the village or country-side, and two of 
them would make their four hands into a seat 
or chair just as children often do now-a-days, 
then another man would pick the women up, 
one at a time, of course, and place them on this 
chair to be carried about. Then, on Easter 
Tuesday, the women would go around in the 
same way and lift the men. Just when or why 
the practice arose, or what its hidden meaning 
was, no one seems to know. 

A beautiful custom is observed in all coun- 
tries where the Greek church exists. When 
two people meet for the first time on Easter 
Day, one says, "Christ is risen," the other re- 
plies, "Christ is risen indeed." 

It was a very ancient English practice to 



Easter 51 

play ball with colored eggs. This was no doubt 
the origin of the egg rolling, which is an old and 
still favorite sport in the city of Washington. 
All of the children in the city gather on the 
White House grounds on Easter Monday, 
and roll eggs down the sloping lawn. It is con- 
sidered great fun and no Washington child 
would think of missing it. No grown person 
is admitted to the grounds unless accompanied 
by a child. 

Here is a couplet which shows an old belief: 

A good deal of rain on Easter Day, 

Gives a good crop of grass, but little good hay. 

Another old superstition is that if the wind 
is in the East on Easter morning, you must draw 
some fresh water and bathe the face and hands; 
it will then be impossible for the East wind to 
harm you throughout the year. 

We do not care for these old superstitions 
now; instead, we love to think of Easter as the 
day on which the Lord arose from the grave, 
and when we look at the beautiful flowers, the 
daffodils, the lilies and the tulips, that have 
come up into the sunlight after their long 
winter's sleep in the warm, dark ground, we 
think that in much the same way Christ came 
forth from the darkness and silence of the tomb, 



52 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

and so the flowers with their beauty and fra- 
grance have a precious lesson for us at every 
Easter time. 



AN EASTER SONG 

Sing a song of Easter, 

Children dear, and birds, 
Sing a song of Easter, 

Full of joyous words. 
Lily censers fragrant 

Swing and gently sway, 
Lily bells seem telling 
"Lo! 'tis Easter Day." 

Sing a song of Easter, 

From the brown earth's mold, 
Wondrous in their beauty, 

Flowers bright unfold. 
Upward then, O children, 

Like the lilies white, 
Lift your faces tender 

Ever to the light. 

— Clara J. Denton 



ARBOR DAY 

A wonderful day indeed is this tree-planting 
day. We cannot all keep the same day because 
this is a big country and in some parts of it the 
Spring is much later than in other parts. But 
as long ago as 1872, in the State of Nebraska, 
there lived a man with the common name of 
Smith, who had been governor, and you may 
be sure he had studied a great deal about his 
state. He made up his mind that one thing 
needed there was more trees, for no land can 
be a good place in which to live unless it is 
blessed with plenty of trees. Then he had 
another good thought which was that if every 
child in school planted one tree each year, there 
would soon be plenty of trees. So a day was 
set aside in April to be called Arbor Day, then, 
soon after, Kansas set aside a day and other 
states quickly followed the fashion. 

Canada also caught the idea, and it now 
looks as if there could never be a scarcity of 
trees anywhere on this broad continent. In 

Nebraska alone, from the time the first Arbor 

53 



54 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

Day was kept until 1905, there had been planted 
over six hundred million fruit and shade trees. 
Isn't that wonderful ? Think of it, it is a whole 
forest of trees! 

Now let us think for a moment of all the 
good that comes from these waving, green 
friends. 

In the first place they help the rain fall, then 
their leaves absorb, or take up, all the poison- 
ous qualities in the air. They shelter the ground, 
making it warmer in winter and cooler in sum- 
mer, they shelter animals and homes, keeping 
off the cold winds of winter and the hot rays of 
the summer sun, they delight the eye by their 
waving beauty and last of all they are made into 
many things useful to man. 

Through all the ages human beings have ever 
delighted in trees and many great events in 
history have made certain trees famous. 

To tell you of all these would take too much 
time and space, but we will at least learn some- 
thing about the famous trees in our own coun- 
try. The most famous of them is, I am sure, 
the one called the " Charter Oak," which stood 
on the northern slope of Wylly's Hill, in Hart- 
ford, Connecticut. 

The story goes that in the early days of 
Connecticut, it was governed by a man sent out 



Arbor Day 55 

by the King of England, whose name was 
Andros. The King had before this time given 
to the people of Connecticut a paper granting 
them certain rights. This paper was called a 
charter. As soon as Andros arrived he de- 
cided to get hold of this paper, thinking he could 
then do as he liked with the people. They 
were, however, too shrewd for him. Some of 
them chanced to know of a large cavity in this 
old oak tree, about two feet from the ground, 
and the charter was carried there and secreted. 
This happened in the summer of 1687 and the 
charter's whereabouts being known to but a 
few, who guarded the secret carefully, it was 
not found by the unreasonable Andros. In 
1689, the people arose against him and he was 
put in prison; then the charter was brought from 
its hiding place, and the people felt that they 
were free once more. In the year 1800, a 
daughter of the family after whom the hill was 
named, wrote that the cavity within the tree had 
grown up; but it was then no longer needed. 
In 1855, this ancient tree was blown down in 
a heavy gale, but a white marble slab has been 
placed on the exact spot where once stood the 
old "Charter Oak:' 

Liberty Elm is another tree that is famous 
in our history. It stood in Boston, on the corner 



56 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

of Washington and Essex Streets, and was one 
of a beautiful grove of elms. The exact spot 
on which it stood is now marked by a build- 
ing on the front of which is a relief figure in 
granite of the old tree, with the inscription, 
"Sons of Liberty, 1776," because the Sons of 
Liberty held their meetings under it and called 
the spot where they stood "Liberty Hall." 

The first meeting was held 1765. A long 
pole which rose far above the top of the tree, was 
fastened to the trunk of the tree, and by an 
arrangement of ropes and pulleys a red flag was 
run up to the top whenever it was desired to 
have a meeting of the "Sons of Liberty." 
Whenever they wished to rouse the people to 
action in the cause of liberty, signs or placards 
were fastened to this tree. 

Several notable meetings were held here, 
and if the old tree could have spoken, it could 
have told some stirring stories. 

When the British under General Gage oc- 
cupied Boston in 1774, all public meetings were 
forbidden, therefore, it is said, that the meetings 
under the old Liberty Tree were thereafter 
held at midnight. In the winter of 1775 and 
1776 while the British soldiers were still in 
Boston they cut down the Liberty Elm because 
of its name, which, under the circumstances, 



Arbor Day 57 

was hateful to them. They made the old tree 
up into firewood, getting, it is said, fourteen 
cords therefrom. The people were very angry, 
but, of course could not help themselves. They 
did the only thing possible; they put up a build- 
ing to mark the spot of the loved Liberty Tree 
as has been already told you. 

Washington Elm is an old elm said to be 
still standing at Cambridge, Massachusetts, 
under which Washington took command of the 
Continental Army. He had been appointed 
by the Congress sitting in Philadelphia, to be 
Commander-in-chief. He left Philadelphia on 
June 21, 1775, arriving at Cambridge on July 2. 
On the morning of July 3, the troops of the 
Continental Army were drawn up in order on 
the Common at Cambridge. Washington, ac- 
companied by the general officers of the army, 
walked from headquarters to the great elm tree 
on the north side of the Common, drew his 
sword, and with a few simple remarks took 
command of the army. 

Burgoyne Elm. Sir John Burgoyne was an 
English officer who, in the war of the Revolu- 
tion, was sent to this country with an army of 
eight hundred. He won some battles, but was 
finally forced to surrender his entire army on 
October 17, 1777. Burgoyne was taken to New 



58 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

York as a prisoner of war, and the citizens of 
that town, full of joy at this important victory, 
planted an elm tree in honor of the event. 
They called the tree Burgoyne's Elm, and it 
is said to be still standing. 

The Treaty Elm. This famous tree stood 
in Philadelphia; "under its spreading" branches 
William Penn made his famous treaty of "good 
faith and good will" with the Indians. The 
Indians believed in him with the faith of trust- 
ing children, and said, "We will live in love 
with William Penn and his children as long as 
the sun and moon shall endure." The Indians 
kept this promise, and not a drop of Quaker 
blood was ever shed by an Indian. 

This tree seems almost sacred to us, since 
under it was made one of the most remarkable 
treaties ever known, and which was never 
broken by either party, it blew down in 18 10 
and was said to be at least 233 years old. Upon 
the spot where it stood the Penn Society of 
Philadelphia erected a monument on which is 
this inscription, "Treaty Ground of William 
Penn and the Indian Nation, 1682. Unbroken 
Faith." 

The Cary Tree. When Alice and Phcebe 
Cary, the poets, were little girls they lived in 
the country, eight miles north of Cincinnati. 



Arbor Day 59 

They attended the district school which was 
a mile and a quarter from their home. It is 
said when they were on their way home from 
school one day Alice saw on the ground a newly 
cut sycamore switch. She picked it up and said 
to her sister, "Let's stick it in the ground and 
see if it will grow." It grew to be a large tree 
and is said to be still standing, and known far 
and wide as the "Cary Tree," although the 
sisters have been dead many years. 

The Dueling Oaks. The trees which bear 
this strange and unpleasant name are a group 
of ancient oaks standing in the city park of New 
Orleans. 

It was at one time the foolish, as well as 
wicked, custom in many parts of the world to 
settle all quarrels between gentlemen by the 
duel, which was a combat with swords or pistols. 

This practice was more common in the 
southern than in the Northern states, from the 
fact, no doubt, that the settlers in the former 
were largely the hot-tempered races, such as 
the French and the Spanish. 

Dueling was nowhere more common than 
in New Orleans, and it gradually became the 
habit to hold the combat under this particular 
group of wide-spreading oaks. Just how and 
why the custom began, no one seems to know, 



6o Holiday Facts and Fancies 

but it was so common that the oaks were given 
the name which they still bear, although the 
cruel duel is now forbidden by law. 

Perhaps it is as well to retain the name, 
"The Dueling Oaks," because it shows us that 
in the "good old days," which some people love 
to talk about, some things were done which 
would not be allowed in our times, and this 
proves, I am sure that the world is growing 
better every day. 

There are pretty stories told about many of 
the different trees, some of them are mere 
superstitions, others may have a grain of truth 
within them. I am sure you will enjoy hear- 
ing about them. 

The Mountain Ash or Rowan tree, also the 
Poplar, are said to foretell the weather; when the 
leaves turn themselves over, it is a sign of rain. 

The Bay tree was supposed to keep off sick- 
ness, also to protect from lightning, therefore 
when it withered it was a sign of trouble. The 
Cherry tree was an emblem of the Virgin Mary. 
The Cross of Christ was said to have been made 
of the Cedar tree. The Cashew tree, which 
grows only in hot countries was said to have 
furnished the crown of thorns, while the Elder 
tree was the one upon which the wicked Judas 
hanged himself. 



Arbor Day 61 

The Willow tree was an emblem of sadness; 
therefore when you hear people speak of "wear- 
ing the willow," you will understand that they 
are sad about something. Yew tree was un- 
lucky, the Oak was called Jove's tree because 
of the great size to which it grows and the many 
years which it lives. 

Here is an old German legend of the Aspen 
tree: 

When Joseph and Mary were fleeing with 
the Infant Jesus they came to a dense forest. 
At once overcome by the presence of the Divine 
Child the trees all bowed their heads in worship. 
There was one tree, however, more haughty 
than the others which held its head stiff and 
straight. 

Then the dear Christ cast one look upon 
this tree so full of sorrow and reproach that its 
heart was pierced with shame and fear. It 
began to tremble and has been trembling ever 
since through all the centuries that have passed 
since then. 



62 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

WHAT DO WE PLANT WHEN WE PLANT 
THE TREE? 

What do we plant when we plant the tree? 
We plant the ship which will cross the sea, 
We plant the mast to carry the sails, 
We plant the plank to withstand the gales, 
The keel, the keelson, the beam, the knee; 
We plant the ship when we plant the tree. 

What do we plant when we plant the tree? 
We plant the houses for you and me, 
We plant the rafters, the shingles, the floors, 
We plant the studding, the laths, the doors, 
The beams, the siding, all parts that be; 
We plant the house when we plant the tree. 

What do we plant when we plant the tree ? 
A thousand things that we daily see. 
We plant the spire that out-towers the crag, 
We plant the staff for our country's flag, 
We plant the shade from the hot sun free; 
We plant all these when we plant the tree. 

— Henry Abbey 



May First 
MAY DAY 

How glad are we all of the May time. The 
name, some writers say, comes from the Latin 
word meaning to grow, and this would seem 
a fitting name indeed, for how things do grow 
in this beautiful month, the month of fruit 
blossoms. 

Others say that this meaning has nothing 
to do with its meaning, but that it comes from 
Majores, a word meaning the Senators in the 
Roman legislature. Then again it is said 
that the name comes from Maia, the mother of 
the god Hermes, or Mercury. Our Saxon 
forefathers called it Tri-Milcbi^ meaning three 
milkings, because the grass being so plentiful 
in this growing month the cows could be milked 
three times daily. 

But, however May came by its name, we 
know that in all ages and in all lands it has been 
the custom to look upon the month of May with 
great favor. The Romans held a festival in 

63 



64 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

honor of Flora, the goddess of flowers, which 
was called Floralia, and which began on April , 
28 and lasted into May. 

Other nations soon settled upon May 1, as 
the time for similar festivities. England is the 
home of the May-pole and the merry dance 
around it. 

All Christian countries have "Queens of 
May/' though many of them represent the 
Virgin Mary, because the month of May is 
dedicated to her especially. 

In our own country the customs of " going 
Maying," or "crowning the May-queen," and 
also of hanging May-baskets, are observed in 
some places, but we seldom hear of the May- 
pole dance. The latter custom, it is said, has 
even passed away in England, except in some 
small and far-off country places. 

This is the month when the whole army of 
birds is marshalled in the groves. No wonder 
it is called the "Merry, merry May," for, by 
this time all the "migratory birds," that is 
those which fly away in the fall to warmer 
lands, have returned, and are ready for their 
summer's work. This too is the month of 
the yellow dandelion and buttercup. 

Here is a little May verse for you: 



May Day 65 

Dandelion's gold is shining, 
Green things everywhere are twining, 
Yonder too the snow is falling, 
Though I hear the Robin calling. 
Do you laugh because together 
Thus I seem to mix the weather? 

'Tis the snow from apple trees, 
Carried down by May-day breeze, 
Snow that drifts so soon away; 
Fairy snow that comes in May. 

— Clara J. Denton 



BIRD DAY 

How many birds do you know by sight ? 
How many bird songs do you know when you 
hear them ? 

Suppose you make it your business this 
summer to learn some new facts about 
birds. 

If you are lucky enough to find a bird's nest 
be careful whom you tell about it, the better 
way is to keep it entirely to yourself. You 
know that you will not harm it, but you cannot 
be perfectly sure about anyone else. 

Once I knew a lady who discovered a robin's 
nest in an old apple tree near the house. She 
enjoyed watching the old birds, and she also 
enjoyed the papa bird's song at morning and 
evening, but one unlucky day she told a young 
man whom she knew well, about the nest in the 
tree. 

"O," he said, "I am going to peep into the 
nest! She begged him not to, but he declared 
he would not touch the birds or the nest, he just 
wanted to "see the little ones." 

66 



Bird Day 67 

"But they don't want to be seen," she said, 
"do, please, stay away from them." 

But he only laughed at her and began climb- 
ing the tree. When he was nearly up to the nest 
he caught at the limb on which it rested and 
in some way, of course he didn't mean to do it," 
the nest was upset, and down went the two 
little birds to the hard ground so far away, and 
were picked up dead. 

Then that lady made a vow that she would 
never again tell anyone about a bird's nest; 
and I think that is a good rule for everyone to 
follow. The nest is meant to be a secret, it is 
the bird's secret and so if you chance to discover 
it you have no right to betray it. 

Every child ought to know the names of the 
most common birds, even though living in a city, 
for by visiting the parks and keeping eyes and 
ears open some of the following birds may 
be seen and heard: 

Blue-jay, Crow, Robin, Song Sparrow, Blue- 
Bird, Meadow Lark, Grosbeak, Brown Thrasher, 
Wood Peewee and House Wren. The robin, 
the crow, and the blue-jay, you no doubt know 
already. The two latter often remain in the 
north all winter and on mild days you can hear 
their shrill cries. The crow flying high and 
loudly calling his "caw, caw, caw," is said to 



68 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

be the sign of a coming thaw. You will see 
the beautiful blue-jay hopping about in the 
bare trees searching for the insects that, like him- 
self, are stirring around on account of the mild 
weather. 

From March ist to 15th, according to the 
weather, the robins, song sparrows, and blue- 
birds come, although the bluebirds are generally 
a little behind the others. There is a saying 
that when the bluebird appears there will be 
no more cold weather. They are truly beautiful 
birds, almost wholly a deep rich blue, although 
the throats and upper breasts are cinnamon 
colored. They give a deep, soft warble which 
sounds like "tru-al-ly." They sing when fly- 
ing and also when at rest. They build nests in 
holes of trees or posts, or in boxes placed for 
them in the garden. They stay late in the fall, 
often not leaving until November. Some writ- 
ers declare that in many mild climates this 
bird appears as early as February, but in a 
general way, it may be said that he is not so 
early as the robin. 

The song sparrows are also early birds, 
usually appearing in March. The coloring of 
this bird is black and brown with some white 
in the under parts. His wing feathers are 
edged with a dull red. He has a loud, clear 



Bird Day 69 

note repeated three times with a canary-like 
trill at the end. He is a great singer, never 
silent long at a time. He builds his nest very 
often on the ground, but sometimes in bushes 
or low trees. 

The meadow lark is still later than the 
robin and bluebird and his note is a plaintive 
whistle. His back is brown, spotted with 
black, his breast, bright yellow with a large 
black spot shaped like a crescent, or new 
moon. His tail feathers are pointed and when 
he flies he shows the white ones therein. There 
is a yellow stripe over his eye and on his head. 
He builds his nest on the ground in the open 
field and true to his name is found about mead- 
ows, lighting now and then on the tufts or 
mounds. He is not swift on the wing and 
seldom soars to great heights. He is one of the 
birds that you would not be likely to see in a 
city park. 

The brown thrasher comes late in April. 
In all the bird chorus there is no sweeter singer. 
He is light-reddish-brown in color, breast and 
throat white, but spotted with brown; two 
white bars on wings, long rounded tail, a dark 
bill and pale feet. He makes his nest on the 
ground or in bushes, and, it is said, that during 
the nesting season he sings in the night. When 



70 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

seen at his daytime song, he will be found at 
the very top of a tree, usually the tallest one in 
the neighborhood of his nest. 

The rose-breasted grosbeak is one of the 
most beautiful birds in existence. He takes his 
name from his rose-colored breast and his 
heavy, or gross, beak. He comes early in May, 
and leaves late in September. His head, neck, 
throat, and back are black; his lower parts 
white, wings and tail black; the breast and 
lining of the wings, rose red. The wings have 
two white bands, the tail is notched, and has 
white patches. He nests in bushes and low 
trees. His song is a sweet, low warble, heard 
oftenest at sunset. 

The Baltimore oriole or Firebird, comes in 
May, and the latter name fits him well. His 
head, neck, throat, and upper back are black; 
lower back, breast and under parts brilliant 
orange; wings black, with a patch of orange 
on shoulders. A white band and some tippings 
and edgings of white on the wings. The tail 
is broad and nearly square, with two large 
patches of orange upon it; feet and bill black. 
The nest of this bird is a never-ceasing delight; 
it is a deep, hanging bag or pouch, placed near 
the end of a drooping branch of a tall tree. 
The bird gets its name from Lord Baltimore, 



Bird Day 71 

who came to America in the early days, be- 
cause the livery worn by his servants was yellow 
and black. The note of the oriole is a lively 
pipe with no variety and as he does but little 
work it sounds all day with little rest. The 
same pair of orioles will return summer after 
summer to the same tree for their nest building. 

There is a dear little bird whose song we hear 
when all other bird songs are hushed for the 
season. Through the long hot days of August 
when there are no other sounds but the bees' 
hum and the "click" of the insects, from woody 
depths comes the long plaintive cry of the 
wood peewee. He comes early and does not 
leave until October. He is a small, dark- 
brown bird with a crested head, black feet, and 
bill. He is a great fly-catcher, and if you can 
get close enough to watch him picking up his 
dinner you will wonder at his swiftness. He 
builds his nest in a tree. 

The Phebe is much like the peewee, but 
larger and with no crest. He builds his nest 
under the eaves of buildings or under a rocky 
ledge. His note differs from the peewee, is not 
drawn out, and sounds like "pewit." 

I do not know of a merrier little bird than 
the house wren. If you will put up some bird 
boxes in the trees about your home, you will be 



72 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

sure to have the merry songs to cheer you 
through the nesting season, and they often raise 
three broods during the summer. 

When you have heard his lively song once, 
you will never forget it. It is quite unlike any 
other warble and is kept up almost constantly 
from dawn until sun-down. The wren is the 
smallest bird among our summer visitors except 
the ruby-throated humming-bird. He is red- 
dish-brown in color, breast and under part a 
soiled white; his wings and tail are barred and 
the latter much rounded. When you have 
once seen and heard him you will be his friend 
forever. Both he and his mate are great fighters 
during nesting time, although not with each 
other, and they do not hesitate to attack birds 
much larger than themselves, or even squirrels 
that approach too closely to the home. Here 
are some verses for you about the wren: 

Sing, little bird beneath my sill, 

Thou, merry, warbling wren, 
Fly not afar on tiny wings 

Till autumn comes again. 

Sing, little bird, for every note 

The story sweet retells 
Of all the hope that gilds the world, 

The joy that love compels. 



Bird Day 73 

Sing, little bird, the sky is blue, 

So glad the earth, of May, 
O merry heart, O joy so true, 

We love thy tender lay. 

— Clara J. Denton 



May Thirtieth 

MEMORIAL OR DECORATION DAY 

This holiday of sad and tender recollections 
owes its existence to the warm-hearted southern 
women. During the Civil War, they began the 
loving custom of carrying flowers to the soldiers' 
graves in faithful remembrance of their brave 
loyalty. So true-hearted were these women 
that they were not content to deck the graves 
of their own soldiers, but also laid their flowers 
on the graves of the Northerners who had died in 
the Southland. 

On May 5, 1868, three years after the close 
of the Civil War, General John A. Logan, then 
Commander-in-Chief of the Grand Army of the 
Republic, honored the loving deeds of those 
southern women, by sending out an order that 
the thirtieth day of May of that year be a day set 
apart for strewing flowers on the soldiers' graves. 

Many other states in the Union still further 
honored these women by making the day set 

apart by General Logan a legal holiday. 

74 



Memorial Day 75 

Does it not seem, therefore, as if we should 
keep the day soberly, if not solemnly ? Not 
with games and wild revelry, but as becomes a 
great nation that wishes to honor the men who 
helped it to become all that it now is. 

Let us then, on this day, not only strew the 
graves with flowers, but give honor also to the 
few remaining old soldiers. We are all proud 
of them; then let us, at least one day in the year, 
take the trouble to tell them so, in as many 
beautiful and dignified ways as we can devise. 

Above all, let us on this day endeavor to wipe 
out all bitter feelings toward those who fought 
against us, not with us. 

As the dead Northerners and Southerners, 
in many places, lie side by side, so may the 
living clasp hands and shout together, "Long 
wave the 'Star Spangled Banner !'" 



THE BLUE AND THE GRAY 

The boys in blue, the boys in gray, 

Lie sleeping side by side, 
And round their mem'ry clings to-day 

A love outspreading wide. 

Remembered ? Yes, from shore to shore, 
'Neath North and Southland vines, 



7^ Holiday Facts and Fancies 

Their deeds are told, repeated o'er 
Where'er our banner shines. 

We doff our hats to them to-day, 
Above their flower-strewn graves, 

For over all (the blue and gray) 
"Old Glory" proudly waves. 

— Clara J. Denton 



FLOWER DAY 

Although no State has as yet set aside a day 
on which to plant flowers, it often seems as if 
it might be well to do so. The State, no doubt, 
takes it for granted, that people will plant 
flowers because of their love for them, but this 
is not true. Although nearly everyone is pleased 
at the sight of flowers, all grown people do not 
love them well enough to take the time and 
trouble to make them grow. 

I wish it were possible on "Flower Day," 
to give every child at least one flowering plant 
which he or she must look after and give all 
needed care. Don't you think you would love 
a sweet blossom better, if you had watched the 
plant from a tiny slip or seedling until it burst 
into the perfect flower ? 

There is a great law of nature, that every- 
thing which grows in the ground must bear 
flowers of some sort. Sometimes they are 
beautiful and fragrant, and sometimes they are 
so plain and scentless that you would scarcely 
think of them as flowers. 

77 



78 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

To know all these different plants and their 
flowers is a wonderful study by itself. Wise 
men who have carefully examined all manner 
of plants have arranged them into classes and 
families, giving these classes and families names 
of their own, and this study is called botany. 
Some day perhaps you will take up this science 
in your school work, but meanwhile, if you will 
use your eyes and ears well, you can learn the 
names of many plants and flowers. Not only 
those which grow in fine gardens, but those also, 
which, with no gardeners but the earth, the sun 
and the rain, bloom in the woods and by the 
wayside. As you learn more about the latter 
you will find that many of these so-called weeds 
are well worthy of notice and attention. 

Whenever you see a flower which you do 
not know, ask someone who does know, and 
when you have learned its name do your best to 
remember it, and you will be surprised perhaps 
to find how much joy you will gain from your 
acquaintance with these treasures of the earth. 

Here is a pretty little verse which I am sure 
you will enjoy : 

A SEED 

A wonderful thing is a seed ; 

The one thing deathless forever — 
Forever old and forever new, 



Flower Day 79 

Utterly faithful and utterly true — 
Fickle and faithless never. 

Plant lilies, and lilies will bloom; 

Plant roses and roses will grow; 
Plant hate, and hate to life will spring, 
Plant love, and love to you will bring 

The fruit of the seed you sow. 

I have made for you a list of the different 
state flowers. Most of them were adopted by 
the vote of the schools, but those marked thus * 
were adopted by the State Legislatures. The 
one marked with the double asterisk was adopted 
by the Women's Clubs. You will see at a 
glance that only half of the States have chosen 
special flowers. 

Alabama Golden Rod 

California California Poppy 

Colorado Purple Columbine 

Delaware Peach Blossom 

Idaho Syringa 

Iowa Wild Rose 

Louisiana Magnolia * 

Maine Pine Cone * 

Michigan Apple Blossom 

Minnesota Lady Slipper 

Mississippi Magnolia 

Montana Bitter Root 

Nebraska Golden Rod 



8o Holiday Facts and Fancies 

New Jersey Sugar Maple (State Tree) 

New York Rose 

North Dakota Wild Rose 

Oklahoma Mistletoe * 

Oregon Oregon Grape 

Rhode Island Violet 

Texas Goldenrod 

Utah Sago Lily 

Vermont Red Clover * 

Washington Rhododendron ** 

The old Greeks and Romans were quick to 
see the changes going on around them, but in- 
stead of carefully studying out the reasons for 
these changes, they gave their imaginations 
wings and invented all sorts of pretty stories 
to explain the things which they might have 
understood if they had studied over them long 
enough. They noticed that plants bloomed 
part of the time only, and instead of reasoning 
out that as the bloom changes to fruit and seed, 
the plant could not go on bearing flowers forever. 
They made up this story to explain why the 
plants seemed to take a rest. 

I have told you about their gods and god- 
desses. One of the latter was Ceres, the 
goddess of the Earth. She had a beautiful 
daughter, Proserpine or Persephone, whom 
she watched very carefully. But one day 
when Mother Ceres was busy looking after 



Flower Day 81 

all the things which grew in the earth, Perse- 
phone wandered away into the fields of Enna 
and amused herself by picking asphodels, the 
flowers which we call daffodils. 

Now, everything would have been all right 
with Persephone had she been content with 
the flowers she could carry, but though her 
apron was full of the blossoms, she still wanted 
more. Presently she came to a large plant which 
was just covered with the blossoms which she 
loved so well, and she decided that she would 
have the whole plant. Wasn't that foolish? 

Poor Persephone pulled at the plant with all 
her might. She thought she heard a deep 
rumbling in the earth. This frightened her a 
little at first, but as she was a very brave young 
miss, being the daughter of a goddess, she 
said to herself that she was silly to think that her 
pulling on the bush could make the earth rum- 
ble, so she kept right on pulling. At last her 
perseverance was rewarded, for up came the 
roots of the plant, but now she was more fright- 
ened than ever, for there staring at her, was 
an immense, black hole, Presently, even while 
she looked, the hole grew bigger and deeper, 
and out of it came the rumbling noise which 
she had heard before, only a thousand times 
louder. She was too frightened to run away; 



82 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

she just stood still and held her breath for a 
second or two, then her wits came to her 
and she cried aloud, "Mother Ceres, Mother 
Ceres!" 

But the call had come too late! A terrible 
man named Pluto, who was seated in a golden 
chariot drawn by four black horses, had her 
in his arms, and was driving with all possible 
speed, down, down, down, to the very bottom 
of the big, black hole, which she herself had 
made by pulling up the plant. 

This Pluto was a great king, and he carried 
Persephone to his palace, where he ordered his 
servants to do everything for her comfort and 
happiness. But she only begged to be taken 
back to her mother and the beautiful light of 
day. 

Then Pluto said to himself, "I will give her 
a drink from the waters of Lethe." 

Lethe was a great river which flowed through 
his kingdom, and whenever people drank of 
it, they straightway forgot all their sorrows. 
So his servants brought quickly in a golden cup 
set with precious stones, some of this magic 
water, and with many kind and loving words 
he presented it to Persephone. 

As she was not only a goddess, but also the 
daughter of one, she knew all about the waters 



Flower Day 8$ 

of Lethe, and just what would happen to her 
if she drank from the beautiful cup, so she 
pushed it away from her, and thus made poor 
Pluto, who really meant to be good to her, very 
sad and unhappy. Since his charming captive 
would neither eat nor drink, he feared that she 
would never become willing to stay in his beauti- 
ful underground palace. 

But what was Ceres about all this time ? 

You may be sure that she was looking all 
over the world for her dear daughter. She 
blamed the Earth for having swallowed her up 
and declared that she should no longer keep 
it under her care. Dreadful things happened 
after that. At first there was too much rain, 
then there was too little ; the seeds that were 
planted did not come up, and the ground was 
so dry that the ploughs broke as they tried to 
turn the furrows with them; the cattle died, 
and O! the earth was a dreary and an unhappy 
place indeed. 

Then, Arethusa came to Ceres with a mes- 
sage. Arethusa had once been a wood nymph, 
but had been changed to a fountain by the 
river god Alpheus, and as she was working her 
way through the center of the earth to escape 
from him, she had seen Persephone, so she said 
to the unhappy Ceres: 



84 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

"Blame not the Earth for your daughter's 
disappearance. It was Pluto with his golden 
chariot and four black horses who carried her 
off to be his queen and reign over the dark 
regions of Erebus." 

Ceres, on hearing this great news, set out at 
once for the palace of the King Jupiter, which 
was situated at Mt. Olympus. There were 
no railroad trains or trolley cars in those days, 
or telephones or telegraphs, but the chariot of 
Ceres was fleeter than any of these, and not 
half so liable to accidents or " failures to connect," 
so she was soon on Mt. Olympus, in the palace 
of the gods, telling her story to Jupiter, the King 
of them all. He told her that Persephone 
should be returned, provided she had eaten 
nothing while in the palace of Pluto. 

Mercury, the son of Jupiter, who had wings 
upon his cap and also upon his shoes, and who 
did for Jupiter and the other gods and godesses 
what the telephone and telegraph now do for us, 
was sent with Spring to visit Pluto and find out 
whether or not Persephone had eaten any Pluto- 
nian food. 

But alas! she owned that she had taken 
into her mouth six pomegranate seeds, and 
that some of the pulp having clung to them, she 
had swallowed it. It was then decreed that 



Flower Day 85 

owing to these six seeds having furnished her 
food, she must spend six months of every year 
with Pluto. 

As she had then been there just six months, 
Spring led her back to her mother, and the 
light of day. 

Ceres smiled on the earth again and all 
things bloomed and thrived until that dreadful 
time came around again when Pluto appeared 
to carry off Persephone. 

So it has gone on ever since, Ceres now 
smiling on the earth and then again sitting in 
sorrow and waiting for the time when Spring 
shall come leading Persephone dancing back 
to earth in her joy to escape from the grand yet 
gloomy palace of Pluto. I have made some 
verses for you about the return of Persephone: 

THE CALL OF CERES 

Daffodils, buttercups, violets, too, 

Wake, come, awake, there's so much to do. 

All the wide earth, with its ugly brown mold, 

You freely must deck with purple and gold. 

Blossoms, awaken, Persephone's near, 

Tap, tap, go her footsteps. Surely you hear ? 

Hurry, now hurry, there's no time to lose, 
I've promised the sun not one shall refuse, 



86 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

Scarce can he wait for your faces so bright, 
Long you've been hiding away from his sight. 
Tap, tap, hear those footsteps dance o'er the land, 
Flowers awaken and heed my command. 

Up, up, now, I say, up from the dark earth, 
Your brightness will bring all gladness and mirth; 
Your fragrance will rout all sorrow and tears, 
For with your bright smiles all woe disappears. 
Tap, tap, hear her come, this call is my last, 
Now over the earth you're scattered broadcast. 

— Clara J. Denton 



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June Fourteenth 

FLAG DAY 

You have seen "old glory" flying from the 
top of your schoolhouse ever since you can re- 
member, yet perhaps you cannot tell just when 
and where the first American flag was made. 

When the American Colonies decided to 
become a separate people they could not go on 
carrying the British flag about with them. 
It is said that in the early days of the Revolution- 
ary War, the soldiers carried all kinds of queer 
flags, and of course that would not do at all; 
but they must have something for an emblem, 
something that everyone would know as soon 
as he looked at it. As everyone wanted to 
"show his colors" there must be one flag that 
would stand for the American Colonies, and 
for nothing else. 

As early as 1775 the Continental Congress 
which met in Philadelphia appointed three men, 
Franklin, Harrison, and Lynch, as a com- 
mittee to arrange a flag for the young colonies. 

87 



88 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

These men decided to have thirteen stripes 
of red and white, because there were then thir- 
teen colonies united against the wrong-doing 
of England. They kept the King's colors which 
were red, white, and blue, and they placed them 
together in one corner in the form which was 
then known as "the Union." 

This "Union was adopted in England in 
1606. It was formed by a red cross on a white 
field, the St. George's Cross of England; and a 
white saltier, or double stirrup, on a blue field, 
the St. Andrew's Cross of Scotland. This flag 
is now called the "Union Jack of England and 
her Colonies." 

The people had learned to love the colors, 
red, white, and blue. Had they put any other 
colors in the flag it would have been a shock 
to the many fond thoughts which they still held 
toward the old home across the sea. 

Should you visit England or Canada to-day 
you would soon hear them singing the song 
which you had learned to love at home, "Three 
cheers for the red, white, and blue." The 
words are different in some places, but it is the 
same stirring old tune, and when you hear it 
sung beneath the "Union Jack," you feel that 
England is indeed the "Mother Country." 

The committee kept the "Union" on the 



Flag Day 89 

new flag, to show that while the people of the 
Colonies did not like the way the King had 
treated them, they still looked upon him as their 
King. On January 2, 1776, still before the 
Declaration, you see, this flag with the "Union" 
in the corner was hoisted in camp in Massa- 
chusetts, at a place now called Somerville, and 
was given a salute of thirteen guns and thirteen 
cheers. But after the Declaration, when the 
Colonies had declared themselves a "free and 
independent people," it was not fitting to retain 
the" Union" in the corner, therefore on June 
14, 1777, this resolution was adopted in Con- 
gress : 

Resolved, That the flag of the United States 
be thirteen stripes, alternate red and white, that 
the "Union" be thirteen stars, white, in a blue 
field representing a new constellation." 

A flag, carrying out this design to the letter, 
was made under the direction of General Wash- 
ington, by Mrs. Ross, who lived at 239 Arch 
Street, Philadelphia. Mrs. Ross held the posi- 
tion of flag manufacturer for the government 
until her death. The business then passed 
into the hands of her daughter, Clarissa Clay- 
poole, but she, later, becoming a "Quaker or 
Friend," and fearing that the work of her hands 
would be used in a time of war — the Friends, 



90 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

you know, think that war is always wrong — gave 
up the work altogether. 

When other states came into the Union, 
additional stripes were put into the flag; this 
was kept up until there were twenty states. 
It was then very plain that it would not do to 
go on adding a stripe for every state, therefore, 
on March 24, Congress passed a law that the 
American flag should consist of thirteen red 
and white stripes and twenty stars on a blue 
ground, and that on the admission of every 
new state to the Union a new star should be 
added. 

Illinois was the twenty-first state admitted, 
and was therefore the first star added to the 
constellation after the passage of this law. 

The first strictly American flag was hoisted 
over the capitol at Washington on February 24, 
1866, all previous flags having been made of 
English bunting. 

This flag was twenty-one feet by twelve, 
was made by the United States Bunting Com- 
pany, of Lowell, Mass., and was the gift of the 
Honorable Benjamin F. Butler. 

Thus our flag has come by these gradual 
changes to be he dear banner which every 
American child knows and loves to-day. As 
we watch its waving folds we think of all that 



Flag Day 91 

it means. Here is the blue of heaven's truth, 
the white of purity, and the red of courage. 

If you should ever visit a foreign land I know 
that the first thing you wou d miss would be 
"Old Glory" waving high. Then should you 
live to return to your native land you would 
love the old flag as you had never done before. 
For having lived for a while under other flags, 
you would see that there is no other so beauti- 
ful in itself as the flag of the "Stars and Stripes"; 
and, more than all, that there is no other flag 
which so truly stands for all the best things of 
life as does our beloved "Star Spangled Ban- 
ner." 

The name "Old Glory" was first given to 
our flag in 1831, by William Driver, a sailing 
captain of Salem, Mass., who died in 1886. 

The following facts, which it is well to re- 
member may be found on page 482, Vol. II, of 
Edward S. Ellis' "History of our Country:" 
"Although we are one of the youngest of nations 
our flag is among the oldest. The flag of Great 
Britain, as it at present appears, was adopted 
in 1 80 1, that of Spain in 1785, while the tri- 
color of France, also of red, white, and blue, 
took form in 1794. Portugal adopted its present 
flag in 1830. Italy in 1848 and the German 
Empire in 187 1. . . . Our flag has been 



92 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

through more battles and has waved over more 
victories on land and sea than any other flag in 
the world . . . and more than a million men 
have laid down their lives that "Old Glory" 
should float aloft." 

The latter thought is a sad one, but it is also 
one that should make our flag forever sacred 
in our eyes. 

HONOR TO THE FLAG 

Lift the hand and bow the head, 

Words of loyal love be said, 

The flag, our flag, is waving high] 

Stars and stripes to you and me 

Dear as life itself must be, 

The flag, our flag, is waving high. 

Throb our hearts and dim our eyes, 

When aloft this banner flies, 

The flag, our flag, is waving high. 

Stars and stripes, these would we see 
Stand for peace and purity, 
The flag, our flag is waving high. 

Bow the head and lift the hand, 
'Neath this emblem of our land, 
The flag, our flag, is waving high. 

— Clara J. Denton 



July Fourth 
INDEPENDENCE DAY 

Every boy and girl who is old enough to light 
a firecracker or throw a torpedo knows some- 
thing of the meaning of this day. They at 
least know that they are helping to rejoice over 
the fact that this country is no longer ruled by 
the King of England. 

"The Declaration of Independence/' which 
you celebrate so noisily on this day, you know 
was made in 1776, but you may not know that 
the trouble with the mother country began long 
before that date. 

As the colonies at this time had been settled 
for more than a hundred years, you will see 
that many of the people were of Colonial birth. 
But as they were the children of English parents 
or grandparents, they felt that they should have 
all the rights of which Englishmen have always 
been so proud. Some day you will learn all 
about the many causes which led to the long 

and bitter war of the Revolution. Many of 

93 



94 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

these causes, you would now, perhaps, find it 
hard to understand. 

However, you can at least see that there 
were two things to which the colonists could not 
submit. One was to have an army of English 
soldiers quartered among them against their 
wishes; another was, to have the body of 
English law-makers, called the Parliament, tax 
their tea and sugar, and also make them buy 
of the government a stamp to put on all legal 
documents; that is, all papers used in law, 
such as deeds, mortgages, etc. The colonies 
were at this time self-supporting, and you can 
understand that they were not willing to pour 
their money into the English treasury when 
they had neither vote nor voice, in running the 
government, so they adopted these long words 
as their motto, "taxation without representa- 
tion is wrong," which meant, if they couldn't 
vote for a government they wouldn't pay its 
taxes. 

Thus, when the Congress of the colonies 
came together in 1776 at Philadelphia, everyone 
knew that something was to be done, yet no 
one knew just what steps would be taken. 

On June 11, a committee was appointed to 
prepare a "Declaration" which could be brought 
before the Congress and discussed. This Dec- 



Independence Day 95 

laration was talked over fully on July 2, 3, and 
4. The votes were to be counted, not accord- 
ing to the number of members but according 
to the colonies. Thus, if there were three dele- 
gates from a colony, two would need to be in 
favor of the measure in order to have that 
colony's vote count for "yes." 

This plan gave rise to the famous ride of 
Caesar Rodney. He, with two other men named 
McKean and Reed, was a delegate from the 
three counties bordering on the Delaware River, 
which afterward became the state of Delaware. 
Rodney, however, did not attend the Congress, 
because he seemed to be needed elsewhere, and 
he thought the other two delegates could do all 
the necessary business. At the same time he 
was working hard, riding about among the 
people of his own neighborhood, trying to per- 
suade them to help Congress with money, which 
was needed very much. 

But before the " Declaration" came to vote, 
McKean found out that Reed intended to 
vote against it, and then he saw that they 
must have Rodney's vote, to carry their district. 
He at once sent off a swift messenger to bring 
Rodney to the Congress. Rodney was eighty 
miles away, but history tells us, that within ten 
minutes, after the man came to him on his 



96 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

tired horse, Rodney was on another horse riding 
toward Philadelphia. By riding all night, he 
reached the Congress just in time to make the 
vote of Delaware count for the "Declaration/' 

This act of Rodney must have moved Reed 
to change his mind, for his name is among the 
signers. In the next Congress, the royalists 
in Rodney's district — (for of course there were 
some people who wanted to keep in with Eng- 
land) — were so angry with him for thus turning 
the vote of Delaware, that they did not again 
make him a delegate. So, you see, his patriot- 
ism cost him something. Later on, however, 
he was given many honors, and did great ser- 
vice during the war which followed the " Declara- 
tion." 

You know that it was on July 4, 1776, that 
the old Liberty Bell rang for the first time for 
Independence. This bell had been hung in 
the building known as the "State House" in 
1753. It was made in Philadelphia for the 
State House steeple, and strangely enough around 
it ran these words: 

"Proclaim Liberty throughout all the land, unto all the 
inhabitants thereof.' , — Lev., 25:10 

Do you suppose the man or men who ordered 
this bell, had a fancy that some day these col- 



Independence Day 97 

onies would need to proclaim themselves a 
free and independent people ? Who knows ? 
They were of English blood, and you know 
the old song says, "Britons never can be slaves." 
Had George the Third been a little more Eng- 
lish in his nature, and a little less German, he 
would have remembered that fact. 

Be that as it may we can see how much was 
depending on Rodney's ride and I will give you 
here some stirring verses on this important event 
which I think every boy and girl should commit 
to memory. 

RODNEY'S RIDE* 

(July, 3 1776) 

In that soft midland where the breezes bear 
The North and the South on the genial air, 
Through the County of Kent, on affairs of state, 
Rode Caesar Rodney, the delegate. 

Burly and big and bold and bluff, 
In his three-cornered hat, and his suit of snuff, 
A foe to King George and the English state, 
Was Caesar Rodney, the delegate. 

Into Dover village he rode apace, 

And his kinsfolk knew from his anxious face, 

* Reprinted by permission of the publishers, G. P. Putnam's Sons, 
New York and London. 



gS Holiday Facts and Fancies 

It was matter grave that had brought him there, 
To the "counties three upon Delaware.'' 

"Money and men, we must have," he said, 
"Or the Congress fails and our cause is dead, 
Give us both and the king shall not work his will, 
We are men since the blood of Bunker Hill." 

Comes a rider swift on a panting bay: 
"Hello, Rodney, ho! you must save the day! 
For the Congress halts at a deed so great, 
And your vote alone may decide its fate." 

Answered Rodney then; "I will ride with speed; 
It is Liberty's stress, it is Freedom's need. 
When stands it ? " "To-night, not a minute to spare, 
But ride like the wind from the Delaware." 

"Ho, saddle the black! I've but half a day, 
And the Congress sits eighty miles away, 
But I'll be in time, if God gives me grace, 
To shake my fist in King George's face." 

He is up! He is off! and the black horse flies 
On the northward road ere the "Godspeed" dies. 
It is gallop and spur as the leagues they clear, 
And the clustering mile-stones lay a-rear. 

It is two of the clock, and the fleet hoofs fling 
The Fieldboro dust with a clang and cling. 
It is three ; and he gallops with slack rein where 
The road winds down to the Delaware. 



Independence Day 99 

Four; and he spurs into Newcastle town, 
From his panting steed he gets him down, 
"A fresh one quick; not a moment's wait" — 
And off speeds Rodney the delegate." 

It is five, and the beams of the western sun 
Tinge the spires of Wilmington gold and dun. 
Six; and the dust of the Chester street 
Flies back in a cloud from his courser's feet. 

It is seven; the " horse boat" broad of beam, 
At the Schuylkill ferry crawls over the stream, 
And at seven fifteen by the Rittenhouse clock, 
He flings his rein to the tavern Jock. 

The Congress is met; the debate is begun, 
And Liberty lags for the vote of one, 
When into the hall, not a moment late, 
Walks Caesar Rodney the delegate. 

Not a moment late, and that half-day's ride 
Forwards the world with a mighty stride; 
For the Act was passed ere the midnight stroke 
O'er the Quaker City its echoes woke. 

At Tyranny's feet was the gauntlet flung; 
"We are free!" all the bells through the colonies rung. 
And the sons of the free may recall with pride 
The stirring story of Rodney's ride. 

— Elbridge S. Brooks 



October Thirty-first 
ALL HALLOW EVEN ("HALLOW E'EN") 

November First is a church day called "All 
Saints' Day/' and from this fact the last evening 
in October takes its name, although in actual 
deed it is not, as we all know, a "holy eve." 

The service on "All Saints 5 Day" is a 
solemn, religious one, and it seems very unfitting 
that the evening before should be given over 
to the wild, senseless, practices with which we 
are all too familiar. 

The custom of keeping the night of October 
31 has come to us from the Druids. You will 
remember they were heathen priests who taught 
their strange religion to the ancient people living 
in Great Britain, in certain parts of France and 
in Germany, and who were called Celts. The 
wild lawlessness of this holiday, however, did 
not come from the Druids. They kept it as 
a solemn, religious festival. Three times each 
year they lighted great bonfires in honor of the 
sun which they worshipped. They lighted one 



Hallowe'en 101 

on May first, in order that there might be a good 
time for seed planting, another on June 21, that 
everything might ripen well, another on Octo- 
ber 31, that all the crops might be safely har- 
vested. The fire lighting on the last named 
date being the final one of the year, it was made 
a very solemn ceremony. In every section of 
the country there was a sacred cairn, this was 
a large mound of stones, and on the top of this 
was a sacred fire which was never allowed to go 
out, until put out on the night of October 31. 
In those days they had not learned the art of 
kindling fires quickly, therefore fire seemed to 
them a mysterious and wonderful thing. 

The priests on the eve of November first, 
gathered around the sacred cairns wherever they 
were built. They wore white robes, and the 
people waited in silence while the priests said 
the prayers for the safe in-gathering of the har- 
vests; then at the proper moment they quenched 
the sacred fire. As soon thereafter as it was 
possible a new fire was kindled on the sacred 
cairn, and as it gleamed up in the darkness the 
people raised a great shout. Presently other 
fires appeared on the surrounding hill-tops and 
then the people were satisfied, for they believed 
everything was safe for another year. 

When this solemn service was over, the 



io2 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

people scattered to their homes, each head of a 
family taking some of the sacred fire with him 
to kindle the fire on his own hearthstone, which 
had also been put out. By kindling the fire 
anew in this way, they were supposed to turn 
aside all evil and harm from themselves and 
families. 

When the Celts were converted to the Chris- 
tian religion, they were unwilling to give up the 
fire-lighting. This is not at all strange, for 
there is certainly a witchery about a night bon- 
fire, which we never outgrow. The church 
saw this, and so, to turn their thoughts away 
from the sun worship they made November 
first into the Christian day called "All Saints/' 
and arranged appropriate services therefor. 

The custom of playing tricks on Hallowe'en 
came from the old idea that this is "witches' 
night," and that all the strange and wild powers 
of the air, are abroad to do mischief, but just 
when and where this thought arose, no one 
seems to know. 

The Romans kept a feast on November 
first to Pomona the goddess of fruits and nuts. 
She was very careful of her treasures, and was 
said to keep her orchards safely locked. Just 
how she managed to lock up an orchard, the 
story does not explain. To win her favor so 



Hallowe'en 103 

that she would open her stores to poor mortals, 
they made this great feast to her once a year. 
From the celebration of this feast to Pomona, has 
naturally arisen the custom of serving fruits 
and nuts on Hallowe'en. 

You will now see, I am sure, that the keeping 
of this evening is a strange mixture of many 
old customs. 

After all, it is a great change from the solemn 
service of the Druids, even though full of wrong 
ideas, to the wild rowdyism of the present day 
Hallowe'en. 

The true spirit of this time should be, hos- 
pitality, good fellowship, and harmless merry- 
making. 



Last Thursday in November 
THANKSGIVING DAY 

Many hundred years ago in a certain autumn 
time, there was a great stir among the Wam- 
panoag Indians, at Pokanoket.* 

This place was the royal home of Massasoit, 
king of the powerful Indian tribe of Warn- 
panoag, and you will not be surprised at the 
commotion among these Indians when I tell you 
what had happened. 

Massasoit had made a treaty with the white 
settlers at Plymouth, and now they had sent a 
messenger to him, inviting him to come with 
his warriors and keep a great feast with his 
"pale face" brethren. The messenger further 
told them that the good Governor Bradford had 
sent four men into the woods with their guns to 
bring back wild turkeys, partridges, and deer, 
that there might be a great feast for all. It 
was to be their first day of Thanksgiving for the 
many blessings which they had received from 
Heaven. 

* The royal seat of Massasoit was Mount Hope in Bristol, R. I. 
104 



Thanksgiving Day 105 

Then Massasoit and ninety of his men 
gladly set out for the little colony of seven 
houses. History tells us that they brought 
great quantities of venison with them, and 
that they spent three days feasting thereon. 
One Thanksgiving day was not enough for 
them, you see. We can easily imagine that 
they enjoyed the many other good things 
which the wives and daughters of the settlers, 
being English women, knew so well how to 
prepare. 

There is an interesting poem by Margaret 
J. Preston, entitled "The First Thanksgiving 
Day," in which occur the following verses: 

* We fail of the fruits and dainties so close to our hand in 

Devon, 
— Ah! they are the lightest losses we suffer for love of 

Heaven — 
But see in our open clearing, how golden the melons lie; 
Enrich them with sweets and spices and give us the 

pumpkin pie. 

And then as the feast was ended, with gravely official air 
The Governor drew his broadsword out from its scabbard 

there, 
And smiting the trencher near him, he cried in heroic way, 
"Hail! Pie of the Pumpkin! I dub thee, Prince of 

Thanksgiving Day!" 

♦Reprinted by permission of the publisher, Lothrop, Lee and 
Shepard Company. 



106 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

If this is not a true incident it certainly 
ought to have been. 

This was in the year 1621. Just stop for 
a moment and think how long ago that was, 
and how different was the country in which stood 
these seven houses of the Plymouth Colony, 
from our great and glorious land to-day! A 
wild place it was then, indeed, with its great 
forests, full of game, to be sure, but at the same 
time peopled with fierce and unfriendly Indians. 
It is true there were a few white settlements in 
the land, but they were so far away that they 
could be of neither use nor comfort to those 
lonely pilgrims. 

There are three things which I wish you to 
notice in this call for a Thanksgiving Day: 
First, although during the short time that these 
settlers had been in Plymouth they had known 
more hardships than pleasures, they were called 
together to give thanks for their blessings. 
Our Pilgrim forefathers are often pictured as 
cross-grained, stern men, who seldom smiled, 
and never laughed, yet the call was to rejoice, 
not to whine and mourn over the things they 
could not help. Second, they were filled with 
brotherly love, else they would not have cared 
to rejoice together. Third, they meant to treat 
all people alike. 



Thanksgiving Day 107 

The word was not that there would be a feast 
for the "Winslows" and the "Whites" and 
others of the favored few, but it was to be the 
whole Colony. Everybody, even their newly 
made, ignorant Indian friends, was to share 
in the joy and good cheer. 

There were many other Thanksgiving Days 
after this first one, but it remained a purely 
New England feast until more than a hundred 
years later, when, during the war of the Revo- 
lution, the different colonies were called upon 
by the Continental Congress to set aside certain 
days for Thanksgiving. 

There, however, could not be a national 
Thanksgiving at this time, for there was no 
nation, they were only a number of colonies, 
loosely held together by the Continental Con- 
gress, struggling toward the right to be called 
a nation. ( 

When the Revolution was over and the Con- 
gress adopted the Constitution of the United 
States in 1789, then they were truly a nation. 
Just before this Congress adjourned, a man 
named Boudinot moved that the President 
recommend a day of Thanksgiving, to be ob- 
served by all the people, to give thanks for the 
new Constitution which had been peaceably 
adopted. Strange to say, some of the members 



108 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

objected to this on the ground that it was imi- 
tating European customs, and they said, also, 
that they would better wait, before being 
thankful for the new Constitution, until they 
had found out how well it worked. 

Notwithstanding these objections, the motion 
was carried, and Washington appointed Thurs- 
day, November 26, as a "National Thanks- 
giving Day." 

Gradually, however, this notion of a national 
Thanksgiving seems to have fallen away. Just 
when or why the break occurred no one seems 
to know, but it probably came from the desire 
of each state to run its own affairs. Be that as it 
may, before the outbreak of the Civil War each 
state appointed its own Thanksgiving Day, 
so that many of them fell on different dates, 
although all came in the month of November. 

Indeed, we have heard of a little girl who, 
after enjoying a Thanksgiving celebration in 
her own home, was taken to another state to 
visit relatives, and there she was treated to a 
second Thanksgiving feast. Wasn't she lucky ? 
Thus, you see, if one wished to travel about 
he might, under those rules for keeping this day, 
enjoy four of the great holidays in one month. 

During the war, a noted woman, Mrs. Sarah 
Josepha Hale of Philadelphia, sent to President 



Thanksgiving Day 109 

Lincoln a copy of Washington's Thanksgiving 
Proclamation. President Lincoln took the hint, 
and in i860 he appointed the last Thursday 
in November as the "National" day of Thanks- 
giving, thus carrying out the great Washington's 
intention that all the people should rejoice and 
give thanks on the same day. 

I will copy for you here an old poem which 
may help you to hold the true Thanksgiving 
spirit in your hearts. 

GIVING TO GOD 

O Lord of heaven and earth and sea! 
To Thee all praise and glory be ; 
How shall we show our love to Thee 
Who giveth all — who giveth all? 

The golden sunshine, vernal air, 
Sweet flowers and fruit thy love declare; 
When harvests ripen, Thou art there, 
Who giveth all — who giveth all. 

For peaceful homes and healthful days, 
For all the blessings earth displays 
We owe Thee thankfulness and praise, 
Who giveth all — who giveth all. 

For souls redeemed, for sins forgiven, 
For means of grace and hopes of heaven, 



no Holiday Facts and Fancies 

What can to Thee, O, Lord, be given, 
Who giveth all — who giveth all? 

We lose what on ourselves we spend, 
We have, as treasures without end, 
Whatever, Lord, to Thee we lend, 
Who giveth all — who giveth all. 

Whatever, Lord, we lend to Thee, 
Repaid a thousand-fold will be; 
Then gladly will we give to Thee, 
Who giveth all — who giveth all. 

— Christopher Wordsworth, D. D. 



December Twenty-Second 
FOREFATHER'S DAY 

You have all heard, I am sure, of the great 
steamships which now cross the broad Atlantic 
Ocean in less than two weeks' time, perhaps 
some of you have been on board of one of these 
"floating palaces," as they are well named. 
If you have, you know how everything is ar- 
ranged to make the passengers happy and com- 
fortable while taking the trip. 

The journey taken in this way is something 
to look forward to with joy and not fear. But, 
when our forefathers, who settled this great 
country, crossed "the big water," as the In- 
dians called it, it was a very different matter. 
Our Pilgrim forefathers, who sailed across in 
the little ship Mayflower, were two long months 
on the ocean ; think of that ! 

"But who were the Pilgrims, and how did 
they differ from other settlers in other parts of 
the new country?" you ask. 

In the country over the sea called England, 



ii2 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

where so many great and good things (and also, 
we must confess some queer things) have been 
done, there was a great queen named Elizabeth 
who made a law that all worship in the churches 
should be carried on in a certain way. 

Some of the people objected to this law so 
strongly that they withdrew from the English 
church and set up a way of their own in which 
to worship. 

These people were given various names, 
among others was that of Puritan. This name 
was given them because they believed in a pure 
and holy life. 

When Queen Elizabeth died, and a man 
called James the First became King, he made 
the lives of these Puritans very hard, because 
he was determined that they should worship God 
in the way that the church said and not in their 
own way. 

By and by many of these Puritans decided 
to leave their beloved England since the King 
would not let them alone. So they settled in 
Holland. We know they could not have been 
very happy there, so far from their native 
island, and among a people whose language 
they could neither speak nor understand. 

While living in Holland wonderful stories 
were brought to them, from time to time, about 



Forefathers' Day 113 

the new and broad country across the sea to 
which many of their fellow Englishmen had 
gone and founded a colony which they called 
Virginia, after the Virgin Queen Elizabeth. 

They became so interested in the stories 
about this new colony, that they finally wrote 
to some of their friends who still remained in 
England, asking them to persuade the king to 
give them permission to go to that wonderful 
new land. 

When this permission was at last granted 
they returned to England to arrange for the 
long voyage across that wide Atlantic Ocean, of 
which they knew but little. 

They hired a good ship called the Mayflower, 
and having loaded her with plenty of provisions, 
besides all the other things that would be needed 
in the new country, away they went, full of hope 
and joy, you may be sure. 

They were now called the Pilgrims, because 
of their wanderings, first to the queer little 
country of Holland, then across the sea to a 
country of which they knew even less than they 
had known of Holland. But their hearts were 
full of high hopes, for they had been told that 
Virginia was a land of sunshine and flowers 
and gentle air. 

The captain of the Mayflower, however, was 



ii4 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

not a good man. Instead of taking them, as he 
had promised, to the mild climate of Virginia, 
he took the ship to a bleak, barren northern 
shore. They begged him to move on south- 
ward to the green and sunny coast of which they 
had dreamed, but he declared that he would 
carry them no farther, and more than that, he 
roughly bade them hurry themselves about get- 
ting off his ship and upon the uninviting shore. 
They were truly in a sad case. There were one 
hundred and two people to be given food and 
shelter through the winter which would soon be 
upon them. 

Besides all this, they had a writing from the 
king granting them land in Virginia, and under 
that writing John Carver was to be their Gov- 
ernor by the King's order, but if they went ashore 
at this place they were under no laws and also 
had no rights. 

So a paper was drawn up saying that all the 
signers thereof would obey any laws that might 
be made thereafter, and then every man among 
them put his name thereto. When this was 
done they felt they had something to stand by. 
They then chose John Carver their Governor, 
and all things thus being in order they chose six- 
teen men, who were armed and sent ashore to 
see what sort of a land they had found. 



Forefather's Day 115 

They brought back the report that the land 
was nothing but a lot of sand-hills, and no one 
was pleased with the new place. The next 
day was Sunday and so they all stayed on the 
ship, but on Monday many people went ashore. 

It is told in the history of that time, which 
was written by one of the party, William Brad- 
ford, that the women also went ashore to do 
some washing, which was much needed after 
the long sea voyage. In those days washing 
was done by pounding the clothes with heavy 
wooden bats. They had brought with them a 
little fishing shallop, and as this needed some 
repairs it was taken ashore for the carpenters to 
work upon. 

While all this bustling work was going 
on, the women pounding the clothes, the 
men pounding nails and sawing boards, some 
other men set out to see what they could dis- 
cover. They had not gone more than a mile 
from their friends when they saw five or six 
men whom they supposed to be Indians, but as 
soon as the Indians saw the strangers, they 
whistled to the dog that was with them and ran 
off as fast as their legs could go, which was 
pretty fast. 

The white men, loaded as they were with 
their guns and knapsacks, their swords and 



n6 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

breastplates, could not catch them, although 
they chased them all that day and part of 
the next. They were lost in the woods too, 
and were nearly dead with fatigue. They had 
a dreadful time indeed and were no doubt sorry 
that they had tried to overtake the Indians. 

By and by they came to a spring of delicious 
water, which refreshed them very much and 
also cheered their spirits. They felt that they 
had, after all, come to a goodly land, since pure 
water bubbled so freely from the ground. 

So they kept on, finding many deserted wig- 
wams and fields from which the crops had been 
taken. Later they came upon some large 
mounds of sand and on digging into these with 
their swords — they had no other tools with them, 
they found great quantities of Indian corn. 
As this was their first sight of this useful grain, 
although they had heard much about it, they 
carried all they could back to the ship with them. 
Later they found the Indians who owned the 
corn and paid for it, so history tells us. 

A second party starting out soon after this 
were attacked by some Indians, but the white 
men's muskets quickly routed them, and as 
not one of the Pilgrims was hurt, they were 
very happy over their escape. This they named 
"The First Encounter." 



Forefather's Day 117 

Almost a whole month was spent on this 
coast, the people waiting on the ship while picked 
men sailed around in the shallop, going ashore 
often, and thus trying to find a place for their 
new home. Meanwhile the captain was scold- 
ing at the delay. 

Finally a pilot named Robert Coppin pro- 
posed that they should sail in the shallop 
around a certain high headland which could be 
seen on clear days. This suggestion met with 
favor at once, and a third searching party was 
then made up to find out what was hidden be- 
hind the headland which rose like a great barrier 
before them. 

This party, after many adventures, which 
cannot be told here, brought back a good report 
of a large, open space of cleared land, a running 
brook and a noble forest some distance from 
the shore. The Mayflower immediately weighed 
anchor and sailed away to the new bay. 

So the choice was made, after much talking 
and more exploring, and at last all the people 
went on shore. It is a tradition that a woman 
was the first one to press her feet upon the rock 
which lay on the strand, and which seemed to 
serve as a sort of stepping stone. This stone is 
now called Plymouth Rock, and is kept as a 
sacred relic at New Plymouth, Massachusetts. 



n8 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

Of course the women and children had to 
stay on the Mayflower until houses could be 
built, but the men at once went to work 
with a will. A long, hard winter followed, 
and a dreadful sickness came upon them 
which carried off more than half of their 
number. These troubles made the work of 
building go on very slowly, so it was not until 
March that the last person left the Mayflower 
to stay. 

One bright day in March, when the men of 
the little settlement were standing in front of 
their storehouse, making some plans about their 
village affairs, a tall, fine-looking Indian walked 
down the one street of the village and coming 
up to them, said very plainly, "Welcome, Eng- 
lishmen. " 

How surprised and pleased they were, and 
they gathered eagerly about him pouring out 
questions. 

He told them that his home was far from 
there, and that he had seen other Englishmen 
who had come around his home fishing for cod; 
from them he had learned something of the 
English language. He told them his name 
was Samoset and that the place where they had 
settled was called Patuxet. 

This name, however, the settlers changed 



Forefather's Day 119 

some time in 1621 to Plymouth, after a place of 
that name in England. 

Samoset also told them that about four years 
before, all the Indians in the place had died of 
a dreadful plague. This explained why they 
had found so much land cleared and also so 
many deserted wigwams. Samoset knew all 
about the " First Encounter." The Indians he 
said, were Nausets. Thus, you see, although 
they had no newspapers, telegraphs, telephones, 
or railroads in those days, they managed to get 
news carried about. Samoset said the Indians 
were afraid of the English, because once a wicked 
Englishman had come there and carried off 
many of them to be slaves. He was well treated 
by the settlers, and he stayed all night with them, 
although it must be confessed that they were 
a little afraid that he might be deceiving them 
and be, after all, only a spy sent to find out all 
about them. He went away peaceably, how- 
ever, and soon after he came again bringing other 
friendly Indians with him. When he came 
again for the third time he brought with him 
an Indian named Squanto, who also could speak 
English. 

They then told him that Sachem Massasoit, 
of the powerful tribe of the Wampanoags, was 
coming soon to visit his white brethren. The 



120 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

settlers felt somewhat anxious about this visit, 
but when King Massosoit came, soon after, 
he proved to be very friendly. He and the 
Pilgrims then made a treaty never to harm each 
other and this treaty was never broken. 

Everything now looked bright and hopeful 
for the colonists; they had nothing to fear 
from the Indians; the sickness was over; those 
who were left, although their hearts were sad 
over their lost friends, were gaining in strength 
every day; planting time had come, they were 
all comfortably housed, so the captain of the 
Mayflower thought it was a good time for him to 
be off for old England before something else 
happened to keep him on this side of the world. 

So when the Mayflower sailed away, the last 
tie was broken which held the settlers to their 
native land. 

But the Pilgrims were Pilgrims no longer, 
they had found a home. 



Forefather's Day 121 



THE LANDING OF THE PILGRIM FATHERS 
IN NEW ENGLAND 

The breaking waves dashed high, 

On a stern and rock-bound coast, 
And the woods against a stormy sky 

Their giant branches tossed. 

And the heavy night hung dark 

The hills and waters o'er 
When a band of exiles moored their bark 

On the wild New England shore. 

Not as a conqueror comes 

They, the true hearted came, 
Not with the roll of stirring drums 

And the trumpet that sings of fame. 

Not as the fleeing come 

In silence and in fear; 
They shook the depths of desert gloom 

With their hymns of lofty cheer. 

Amidst the storm they sang 

And the stars heard and the sea; 
And the sounding aisles of the dim woods rang, 

To the anthem of the tree. 

The ocean eagle soared 

From his nest by the white waved foam; 
And the rocking pines of the forest roared — 

This was their welcome home. 



122 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

There were men with hoary hair 

Among that Pilgrim band ; 
Why had they come to wither there 

Away from their childhood's land ? 

There was woman's fearless eye 

Lit by her deep love's truth ; 
There was manhood's brow serenely high, 

And the fiery heart of youth, 

What sought they thus afar? 

Bright jewels of the mine ? 
The wealth of seas, the spoils of war? 

They sought a faith's pure shrine. 

Aye, call it holy ground 

The soil where first they trod ; 
They have left unstained what there they found, 

Freedom to worship God. 

— Felicia Hemans 




ANNOUNCEMENT TO THE SHEPHEU1 



Plocklorst 



December Twenty-fifth 
CHRISTMAS DAY 

You have heard, no doubt, of the many 
queer ways in which people of other lands 
celebrate the dear Christmas time, but have 
you ever been told that even in our own United 
States there are many different ways of keeping 
this day ? 

When the part of the country called the 
New England States was settled by the Pilgrim 
Fathers, Christmas was not honored. Indeed 
there was at one time a law in Massachusetts, 
forbidding anyone to celebrate Christmas Day. 
It was one of the great festivals of the church 
from which they had separated themselves, and 
since you have kept Forefather's Day and have 
learned all about the Pilgrims, you can under- 
stand why they would have nothing to do with 
Christmas. Aren't you glad you were not a 
girl or boy in those far-off times ? Just think 
for a minute of all that the Pilgrim children 

missed. No stocking hanging, no candle-lit 

123 



124 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

Christmas trees, no evergreen, holly, or mistle- 
toe, nor any of the sweet surprises that make 
this the "day of days." 

Things are different there now, of course, 
but it is said, that even yet, in some of the small 
towns and country places of New England 
they make much more of Thanksgiving then 
they do of Christmas. 

How different is a Christmas at the South! 
If you had never been told about their celebra- 
tion and then chanced to be there on Christ- 
mas Eve, and to be awake about midnight, 
you would think things were dreadfully mixed 
up and that it was the Fourth of July instead of 
Christmas. Fire-crackers, pistols, guns, make 
all the noise possible to them, while all the bells 
in town are rung. 

The Southern States, you must remember, 
were settled by people very different from the 
Pilgrims, and they thought that Christmas was 
the day of the year, so they loved to make it the 
jolliest, noisiest time that they could possibly 
stir up. 

The darkies, like the grownup children that 
many of them are, look forward to this day 
throughout the year. 

In the old days of slavery, every darky had 
the right to say to every white person whom he 



Christmas Day 125 

met, "Chris'musgif, Mas'r," "Chris'mus giP, 
Missus," and a trifling present was usually 
forthcoming. 

In some remote parts of the South it is 
said that this custom is still kept up, but it is 
rarely practiced in the cities, where there are 
many northerners who do not always take 
kindly to the ever present "darky." 

As Pennsylvania was originally settled by the 
Quakers, or Friends, Christmas was not cele- 
brated there in the early days. Indeed, it is a 
tradition in a certain family that an ancestress 
who was a Quaker preacher, had all her white- 
washing done on Christmas Day and that her 
Quaker neighbors gladly followed her example. 
By this it is not meant that they washed their 
white clothes on that day, but that they gave the 
walls of their houses and barns, sometimes both 
inside and out, several coats of "white-wash," 
which was made from lime, and which was a 
very popular way of keeping the fences and all 
buildings clean in those old times. 

Later on, however, when the Germans came 
into Pennsylvania, Christmas was kept in the 
good, old German fashion, with the lighted 
Christmas tree and the coming of the good 
Christmas Saint who was called " Kriss 
Kringle." 



126 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

There is also a character very familiar to all 
of the children of the Pennsylvania Germans 
called Pelznickel. He is very unlike Kriss 
Kringle because he is seen by the children, and 
he never goes to the unlucky houses where there 
are only grown people. 

It is only the children that he wishes to know 
about and either reward or punish. He carries 
a switch and a bag of toys and wherever he stops 
he says to the parents, "And how have the chil- 
dren been this year?" 

Those who have been good receive a present 
from the bag over his shoulder, while those 
who have been bad receive a light tap from his 
switch. 

"Whence does he come and where does he 
go when he has made his rounds ? " do you 
ask ? For a true answer to that question you 
must visit the Pennsylvania Dutch, as they are 
called, and find out all about that mysterious 
Pelznickel, but meanwhile, perhaps you can 
guess something about his movements. 

Another kind of people, called the Moravians, 
live in and around the city of Bethlehem on the 
Lehigh River in Pennsylvania. Although they 
originally came from Germany they do not, 
like the Germans, keep Christmas as a time of 
merrymaking. On the contrary it is a religious 



Christmas Day 127 

service in honor of the birth of our Saviour. 
They have no stocking hanging, no lighted trees, 
no Santa Claus driving through the air behind 
reindeer and then stealing in unseen into the 
children's homes. 

Instead of all these, they have what is called 
"The Putz." 

This is a copy of the birthplace of Christ, 
a lowly stable with the star hanging above it; 
the Shepherds with their adoring faces turned 
toward the sky, the wise men kneeling with their 
gifts before the straw-filled manger, in which 
lies the Infant Jesus • 

Whatever services or celebrations may be 
held in a Moravian home, they all center around 
this tender representation called "The Putz." 

Among all the different ways of celebrating 
Christmas there is one great thought which 
should be remembered, which is, that the Christ 
Child was born to bring good will or loving 
kindness upon the earth. 

It is often quite easy to put this spirit into 
all that we do on Christmas Day, but how 
soon we forget, and allow cross and harsh feel- 
ings to rankle in our hearts. If we could only 
keep the true Christmas spirit with us the 
whole year round, how different this world 
would be. 



128 Holiday Facts and Fancies 

JUST YOU AND I 

"Good will and peace"; sweetest syllables they, 
Which all the wide world are singing to-day, 
And are we making them, just you and I, 
Earnest and true as the day hastens by? 

"Good will, peace," are these sweet syllables three, 
More than smooth rhythm to you and to me ? 
Good will in the heart must scatter good deeds, 
Deeds full of love which the world sorely needs. 

"Good will and peace." If their meaning so deep 
Each in his own little circle should keep, 
How gladly the days would go whirling by, 
Come, let us begin it, just you and I. 

Good will for the dull, the stranger, the bore, 
All the unbidden who pause at our door. 
Good will for the child, the lonely and sad, 
As well as the thriving, giddy and glad. 

Sweet peace in our hearts, forgotten all strife, 
Quarrels made up, since so short is this life. 
Then "Peace on the earth and good will to men," 
We'll sing, you and I, again and again. 

Yes, sing it with heart as well as with voice, 
And help the whole world with us to rejoice. 
Yes, all the year long, through good and through ill, 
For "peace" let us strive with hearty "good will." 

— Clara J. Denton 



DEC SI 191® 



One copy del. to Cat. Div. 



*•* 1916 



